


REDBONE

by BOYYBLADE (saltybird)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura is a Good Friend, Angst, Bad use of Voltron characters, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Blood and Gore, Cheating, Creep Lotor, Death, Demiromantic Keith, Depression, Established Keith/Shiro, F/M, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gay Sex, Heavy Angst, Hunk (Voltron) is a Good Friend, Implied Mpreg, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Keith has Aspergers, Keith is a crimal profiler, Lance is(was) just trying to have a good time, Little bit of Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Rape, Mentions of miscarriage, Multi, Orphan Keith (Voltron), Pansexual Shiro (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Pining Matt, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Poly Shiro, Red Dragon AU, SHEITH - Freeform, Shiro is a bartender and a good boy!!! by some definitions..., Smut, Trans Lance (Voltron), and a very active imagination. he hates his job, but he's dead sorry, lots of smut, mentions of past suicide attempts, shance, shklance is mentioned to be possible at one point but you see what happened to that the first chap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2018-12-31 21:56:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 26,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12141948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltybird/pseuds/BOYYBLADE
Summary: I. 27 YEAR OLD Keith Kogane is a special FBI agent and criminal profiler. He's always been more intuitive to the evidence, able to find the rhyme and reason, as some would say. Through empathy, he can think like most killers and see the world as they do, plunging his own world into depths he'd rather not speak of. Now he's back on a case he was hoping to distance himself from, the case of an ingenious serial killer, the TOOTH FAIRY. The recent victim has him more stirred than the last, and the more he finds out, the more personal it gets.II. LANCE WAS just 24 when his life was ended. He had plans, he had even moved away from Cuba, to the city of New Orleans for a new life. He met a handsome and sweet man, Shiro, and few other friends around the city. Life was going well- or well enough with a few romantic issues and perhaps violent stalker that wanted to use him.III. SHIRO IS a simple man, he knows when he does wrong and that he should confess, but sometimes he gets scared of having to choose between two people he cares for deeply. He can't choose between a 12-year relationship and relationship full of love and potential, but it seems that someone else has for him -





	1. MONACHOPSIS

**Author's Note:**

> Wowie, I sure am shit for summaries, but anyways! I've been a huge huuuge huge fan of HANNIBAL for quite some time, I even started writing fic for Hannibal before anything else- but I also love Voltron, as anyone who has read my other (and way different) works like WYSI, WHAM!, and DOLOROSA, a collaboration with Winter-and-little-brunettes, then you KNOW I LOVE Voltron!
> 
> I've had this idea in my head p much since October, and after a lot of thinking, I finally decided just to go ahead and write it, as it's something I find entertaining to write and it's also a learning experience for me, and a way to broaden my morbid ass genres.  
> This fic may get graphic(or just plain ass stupid, we'll see), as it has mature themes... Viewers discretion is advised :^)
> 
>  
> 
> PS. This is a repost from my other pseuds after I decided to rewrite it! I'm currently happier with this version than I was with the last so hopefully, my thoughts on that stay that way until I complete it :3c

****

SEPTEMBER 5TH.

  
  


Keith’s eyes fluttered open to the dimly lit bedroom, the sun outside the window hidden behind rumbling dark rain clouds, making the room that would have been brighter by this time, or what Keith thought the time was without looking at the clock, darker than it should’ve been. This was typical of summertime in the south though, and it would explain why he had trouble getting out of bed most days. It was just so gloomy and damp, and he  _ hated _ that. Rain was never his thing but ever since he and Shiro moved here to the crescent city a couple of years ago, it felt like the rain was never-ending… Maybe that was just him thinking of it a bit over dramatically, but still, that’s how he felt about it.

 

He stirred slightly when Shiro rustled under the sheets beside him, a lazy motion of him scooting closer. The outline of his side falling drastically with a quiet sigh that Keith could barely hear, but he felt it ghost his skin before warm lips pressed a sleepy kiss against his shoulder.

 

“You're awake…”

 

“So are you…” Keith whispered, and shifted on his side to face Shiro. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness more now, and he could see the sharp angles of his jaw and softer curves of his boyfriend’s face. Shiro was truly a lovely sight to him, and he was the one good thing to wake up to on a morning like this. If it were a rainy Sunday, he would cuddle up to Shiro without worrying about falling back to sleep and waking up late for work, but unfortunately it was a crappy Tuesday. 

 

Both he and Shiro reached to touch each other’s face, Shiro’s hands were much warmer than his, but Shiro also slept with his arms under the covers when Keith didn’t. They were different with everything they did, even if just slightly so but Keith really liked that about them. He liked a lot about  _ Them—  _ or rather  _ Shiro _ more than anything, but they did make a good pair he supposed, even when he didn’t feel like  _ he _ was so great for Shiro…

 

Shiro brushed his cheek with his thumb and smiled lopsidedly at him. “How’d you sleep?” 

 

“Not enough,” Keith sighed. He leaned into the touch on his face and closed his eyes again. He really loved Shiro’s hands, especially when they soothed over his face. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough sleep to feel rested after this month.”

 

Shiro hummed quietly. “Oh? Maybe it’s just the mattress? We’ve worn it out a lot the last two years…” Shiro chuckled, joking lightly.

 

Keith peeked one eye open before he started laughing too. Shiro always kept it light, and he appreciated that. “Yeah… Maybe that’s it...” He mumbled, smiling. “And it doesn’t help that I like being rough with you…”

 

“Oh I know. I think I know that first hand, babe.” Shiro said and touched the side of his own neck, grazing over a hickey Keith had left on him a couple of days ago. It was yellow now, but still ever noticeable on Shiro’s pale skin. “Your work of art gets my customers to ask me _alllll_ **_sorts_** of questions...” He snickered.

 

“I’m sure you get some pretty nosy asks…” Keith murmured, and he climbed on top of Shiro and straddled his waist between his thighs. He leaned down and captured Shiro’s mouth in a warm good-morning kiss. He could go for wearing the mattress out a little more, honestly, because what better way to start the rainy day ahead than with lazy morning sex? It didn’t even have to be as rough as he liked, he just needed to be fucked and kissed no matter how softly right now…hence  _ lazy. _

 

Shiro was quick to kiss him back. His hands finding perch on Keith’s hips and giving a gentle ‘ _ I’m here _ ’ squeeze. He pulled the loose fabric of his shirt up from around his waist and slid his warm fingertips underneath, feeling up Keith’s abdomen. 

 

Keith shivered under the hot touch but he couldn't help but to smile against Shiro’s mouth when his hands found his skin for a second time, in the third best place they could be Keith had decided. He pulled away from the growing sloppy kiss and discarded his shirt, all but throwing it across the room before he grabbed Shiro’s cheeks and needily kissed him again. He loved how respondent Shiro was to him, with the soft gasps and his mouth opening up for him, and his tongue just as eager to taste him as he was to taste it.

 

Shiro had chuckled against his mouth and tilted his head slightly to speak, breaking the all too good kiss too soon. “And a good morning to you, babe…” He slid his warm hands along Keith’s sides soothingly, feeling every inch of skin up from under his arms, down to the waistband of his briefs. 

 

Keith just hummed and sat up to watch Shiro under him, slowly starting to grind himself against Shiro’s lap. “Mhm… It’s absolutely a **_good_** morning if it’s with _you._ ” He smiled when Shiro did, and Shiro pushed himself up to kiss Keith again, one hand leaving his body when he did so.

 

Keith nipped Shiro’s lip with his teeth and he grabbed Shiro’s hand again, placing it high up on his inner thigh. “Shiro, I want you to  _ touch _ me.” He whispered. 

 

Shiro snickered. “Sorry, I forget you’re impatient in the morning.”  He said with a grin. He dipped his hand under Keith’s briefs again and groped his semi-hard cock. 

 

A small gasp escaped before Keith could control it and he arched his back. “Mmm… Close, but not there… Not yet.” Keith breathed.

 

“Oh? Why not? Think you’ll come too early?” Shiro teased in his dreadfully sexy voice. 

 

_ Fuck… yes. _

 

Yes. 

 

He absolutely would with Shiro’s thumb rubbing over his slit like that, and his other hand slipping lower to grope his butt. “ **_Shirooo_ ** _ — Fuck- Y-Yes I will… _ ” He admitted with a whine. He was haunched over Shiro with his back arched. He had his hands on Shiro’s shoulders to support himself up, and pinning Shiro down, but Shiro didn’t mind it too much. He could still work his hands over Keith just fine.

 

“I know, beautiful…” Shiro crooned, and he moved his hand around so both were on his ass. He groped Keith before sliding fingers teasingly over his entrance. 

 

“Ah-- Just like that…” Keith whined quietly. Shiro could make him a whiny mess within seconds, but then again, Keith could do the same to Shiro. Which he ended up doing a lot honestly. He liked making a mess of Shiro, it was hot, that’s why he’d end up taking the lead very shortly. He reached over Shiro and grabbed the bottle of lube on their nightstand, Shiro removing one of his hands from Keith’s boxers to hold his palm out for a squirt of lube as soon as he saw Keith reach for it.

 

Shiro slicked his fingers up and Keith slid his boxers down just past his ass so they wouldn't be in the way. He didn't feel like taking them off, since that would require him to get off of Shiro’s lap, and this was supposed to be  _ lazy _ anyway. Shiro got right to what he was doing, slicking Keith’s hole and opening him up with his fingers. 

 

Keith mewled and rocked back on Shiro’s fingers, steadying himself with a hand on Shiro’s chest. “God- fuck--” Keith moaned, “Shiro, fuck me…” 

 

Shiro slid his fingers out and pushed his own boxers down hastily. Keith was quick to grab Shiro’s hardening member and give a few strokes. He was sloppy and impatient, fumbling with the lube again to get some on his own hands to slick Shiro up. He really needed this, a good morning fuck with the love of his life… He sighed quietly and lifted himself up enough to line Shiro’s cock up with his entrance before sinking down. Shiro moaned and gripped his hips, steadying them both as he bottomed out. 

 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Shiro moaned, tilting his head back and screwing his eyes shut the moment Keith started to rock on him. “I think  _ you _ wanted to fuck  _ me _ ,” he said, snickering. He gasped again suddenly when Keith ground down on him, just for a sweet second.

 

Keith hummed low in his chest, grabbing for Shiro’s hand that was on his hip and guiding it up to his mouth to suck on. “Mhm.” 

 

___

  
  


They didn't last much longer. Keith was rough, and he knew what worked to get them both to finish fast, but riding both of their orgasms out until it left them exhausted and sweaty in their bed. Maybe he could have taken more time and been more gentle for a morning fuck, but Shiro seemed too spent to mind. Not that Shiro ever seemed to really mind  _ how _ they went about fucking, but he knew Shiro and his hopeless romantic heart, how Shiro liked the slow and sensual stuff sometimes too. He wasn’t opposed to that either, but sometimes quick and rough was the better way in the morning…and at night,  **_and_ ** during the daytime… Okay, so  _ most of the time _ _ , _ for Keith… But it couldn’t always just be his way, he knew that, so he knew he needed to back off from taking the lead whenever he could but today was an exception…

 

He hunched over Shiro with sweat beading down his face. He was trying to calm his breath back down. He screwed his eyes shut tight and inhaled through his nose and out through his mouth until it was calm and even again. He didn’t move an inch with Shiro still inside of him, too exhausted to lift himself off of him quite yet and deal with the mess. This was a good exhaustion and ache though... So much different than the fatigue Keith felt whenever he walked into work… Which he had work today… 

 

Right, he had work today... 

 

He opened his eyes to look at the clock and he just blinked at it before he climbed off of Shiro quickly, stumbling off the bed and nearly falling to the floor in his attempt to rush suddenly.

 

Shit—  _ He had work today _ , like starting an  **hour** ago. He was going to blame it on the dreary day for screwing with his sense of time. Kolivan was going to kill him when he got there, if he wasn’t blowing up his phone already- but he didn’t stop to check his muted phone yet. He wasn’t ready for his day of work just yet.

 

“ _ Fuck _ —” he groaned to himself. He quickly snatched his pair of jeans from yesterday off the floor and made his way to the tiny ass bathroom they had. He accidentally slammed the noisy bathroom door shut and left Shiro without an apology or anything else.

 

___

  
  


He didn’t even say anything to Shiro after they fucked. Didn't kiss him or tell him see you later after he showered, he just ran straight out of the door and left. He felt awful about it, because Shiro would have taken that extra time for him, especially after sex. But nope, not Keith. Once he thought about work and getting it done, nothing else seemed to matter to him, and that was awful. But he only had his drive to work to feel guilty about being such a horrible partner. Kolivan was going to be pissed off enough at him for being nearly two hours late, so he couldn't pity himself. Hopefully Shiro could forgive him for this later.

 

___

 

10:03am

 

No one had a face to Keith when he walked through the large metal and glass doors of the main quarters, his hair still slightly damp from his shower- or the rain, he didn’t really know or care at this point. He just wanted to get to where he needed to be. He dodged a few people, a few crowds in and out of the hallway. There was a class being taught today, on psychoanalyzing, his favorite. He knew that because he was a sub here occasionally, and memorized the schedule and the class subjects. He enjoyed it but he never got to do it anymore since Kolivan had pulled him off his teaching post a while back, and hitched him backwards onto his mental horse somewhere in the field. Dealing with the crimes he used to teach about. They were always worse seeing them in person… It was bad, and he hated it, but he put up with it for now. That’s all he could do.

 

Some of the blank faces stood out to him a little, the people he knew by association. They would smile at him and offer him some kind of acknowledgment, but he ignored them all fugitively. He could tell you what their names were, maybe, and what they did here but beyond that, he just didn’t care about  _ knowing _ them. 

 

Kolivan and Thace, his boss and his closest colleague, were the only people here who had a  _ face _ . He found pretty early on into this career that he could only work along side Thace unless he wanted to get pissed off and annoyed with everyone else. Everyone else he’s ever got sent out with got way annoying or too personal, but Thace kept it professional between them and was just as result oriented as he was. They were a good team, honestly. That’s why Kolivan gave them the toughest shit, the shit no one else wanted to deal with— or couldn’t.  

 

He sighed through his nose, ignoring the second receptionist that always tried to talk to him as he made his way past the sign in desk, to their special offices. He didn't know why people like her seemed so adamant about talking to him when he only came to be let in. He was usually forced to say something to her just for her to buzz him in most days, and today was one of those days of course. How fucking lucky.

 

“Just let me in, Janet. I’m already late.” He pleaded, though there was an obvious bite behind his punctuation. She was one of the more  _ chatty _ and aalllll too personal receptionists for this desk, and he hated her few attempts at trying to get him to go out with her and her friends. He knew she was a loud drunk, since unfortunately she’s been to his Shiro’s bar… That was a  _ fun _ night…he meant that in a disgusted and sarcastic way…

 

“It’s  _ Jan… _ ” she- Ms. Jan- corrected, less malice in her voice than in his. Though her toothy smile faded and she simply pressed her buzzer to let him in the glass door after that.

 

He probably could have been nicer, honestly, but he was in no mood to chat with her. She wanted to know him, but what was there for her to know anyway? He wasn't really that interesting outside of work, and the only person he’s ever with when he’s not working is Shiro. She already knew Shiro, already knew they were fucking too. Another reason he didn’t like her is because of how she acted when she found out he was gay. She acted like it was disgusting, and that her ugly fake-ass bleach blonde head could ‘make him straight’. So she wasn’t  _ just _ annoying, she was a straight up bitch and he honestly hated her. 

 

The buzzer rang and he all but ripped the door open to put something between them. Luckily, her shift would change before he had to go back out that way. She was one of the reasons he hated this department, having to walk past her almost every day just to get into the area, but he was here now, walking down a hallway mirroring the last. Glossy dark floors and dark walls to set the grim theme of their work here, in Homicide Investigation. He had an unnerving feeling after stepping through that door. Today wasn’t going to be normal. Not that it wasn’t already, he showed up late for work today, and of course that would have its consciences…

 

Thace had rounded the corner the same time he did, bumping hard into his shoulder, making them both jump back. Keith had to suppress a yelp coming from his mouth. He didn’t like the sudden hammering in his chest from the fright.

 

“Shit- Sorry Keith-” Thace apologized quickly, then he snatched Keith by his shoulders. Thace was taller than he was, by about a whole head- maybe a head and a half, and he was much tougher looking than Keith was himself. He looked more for the part than Keith ever did, and for that most people looked down on him more than they did Thace, but Kolivan would still argue over who was better out of the two of them… “Hey, where the hell have you been? Ugh- no matter that… You’re about to be ambushed, in like… in a second to now,”

 

“Hey, Kogane!” 

 

Keith jumped slightly and whipped around to the deep voice approaching them from down the hall. “Kolivan…” Keith was much quieter when he responded to Kolivan. Kolivan was the big tall boss man that everyone secretly feared in their own way… He was tough, especially for working in this kind of field every day, regardless if there was a new body found or not, he was always working to catch these criminals… Keith averted his eyes nearly immediately after just a glance at his boss’s scarred up face. Kolivan had an ugly thick pink scar that ran from the right side of his forehead above his eye, all the way down to his fucked up lip. It was rude to stare at someone’s differences… But Keith had a few scars of his own too, so they weren’t  _ that _ much different... 

 

“I'm glad you're finally fucking here, Kogane. I need you to see something immediately. Thace is going to be on the Sanders’ case today, but you have something more important.” Kolivan said, grabbing Keith roughly by the shoulder and all but shoving him into his private office room down a few doors.

 

The sudden change to carpeted floors nearly made Keith trip when he was pushed in. Keith rolled his shoulder after Kolivan released it and tried not to groan. What is this about… And how  _ great. _ Now he wasn’t working with Thace at all it seemed… Kolivan dropped a stacked folder on his desk, making an obnoxiously loud CLAP on the glass top that made Keith flinch.

 

“We have a fifth victim… After six months.” Kolivan said simply, as if Keith knew immediately what this was about. He did. But he didn't want to digest that information just yet. He felt like his heart had sunk into the acid of his stomach. He narrowed his eyes to the yellow folder on the desk and swallowed dryly. 

 

“The fifth?..” Keith’s voice came out scratchy, and he grimaced at it. It was distasteful to sound so…scared?. Kolivan knew what exactly what he was asking, they were already on the same level. It always happened like that, instantaneously. Maybe that was a sign they've been working on a case for too long, grasping for straws. That's how he felt with this one.

 

“Found him this morning, in his apartment in the city. It was a big fuckin’ mess when we got there, Keith. I still have people on the scene... Unfortunately, since you took so long to get here or even answer your damn phone- they didn’t leave the body there for you. It’s here. I have Allura and Coran doing their thing with it now-” Kolivan was rambling on, but Keith could hardly hear him over the empty ringing in his ears.

 

He stared blankly at the file on the desk, where just a few papers had slipped out next to it. He didn’t know what to think quite yet, but this was frustrating. For him as well as Kolivan. He was fucking unlucky today. Not only had he treated Shiro wrong, been late to work and it was raining, but now the Tooth Fairy was killing again. How odd. “You know it was him?..” Keith finally asked, glancing up at Kolivan through his bangs.

 

“I'm pretty certain,” Kolivan said, leaning on his desk with his elbows, chin on top of his folded hands. He stared at Keith with his piercing chartreuse green eyes, intent that Keith would do as he say. “But you're going to confirm it for me.”

 

Keith licked at his dry lips and leaned back on his heels, looking away from Kolivan the same way a dog would from their owner after being scolded. Keith felt scolded. This was the ultimate punishment to him. He hated this case. “Why me? You have-- you have Sendak at Georgetown, a-and Ulaz at Harvard. They all do the same thing-”

 

Kolivan shook his head and dropped his hands onto his desk, his posture more stern and straightforward. “You know that's not exactly true.” 

 

“It is!”

 

“You see things differently than they do, you have the potential to catch this guy!” Kolivan said sternly, nearly growling at Keith.

 

Keith shook his head again. “No,”

 

“Keith,”

 

“You know I don't like this… I can't get close. Not to this kind of thing, not like this.”

 

“No one likes this, Keith, you aren’t special in that sense. But you don't have to get close, you just have to see and tell me what  _ you _ see. We need your help to get this guy off the streets! Don't you worry about Shiro? This guy likes killing close to home, and we still don't know how he picks his victims, but  **_you_ ** can figure it out.”

 

That wasn’t fair… That flash of imaginary images in his head because of Kolivan’s bait was unfair. Kolivan knew how to pull his strings and make him nervous. He knew if he gave Keith even the vaguest image that Shiro could be next, he would crack because he couldn't let that kind of thing happen to Shiro… He would never forgive himself if anything like that ever did happen to him, even if the odds were slim, but something… Something told Keith those odds weren’t as slim as he would like them to be. His lip twitched and forced his lips into a tight line. He stared at Kolivan now. “... Show me everything you have so far. I’ll… I’ll go to the apartment when your crew gets out of there…”

 

“ _ That’s _ what I wanted to hear.”

 

___

 

10:37 am

 

Keith felt the chill on the back of his neck when he entered the forensic lab. That chill in the air that kept the bodies fresh...or at least  _ fresher _ … It never stopped the smell of death from plaguing the whole basement, their forensic lab and morgue. Everything was divided by glass panes and glass doors, you could see everything from one corner to the next, it was almost like a glass house, except not because the outside walls were made of flat dark gray stones and in some spots, stainless steel.  The place was kept immaculate, though, and at first glance, people probably wouldn’t know this was a morgue unless there was a body on the table. 

 

Kolivan led the way, through another glass door, where Allura and Coran were examining the body on the table, though Keith couldn't see it yet… He wasn't sure he wanted to… He kept his eyes trained on the floor until Kolivan very obviously stopped and stepped to the side, clearing his throat. “His name was Lance McClain… 24 years of age. Transgendered. He's not originally from the city but he came here from Cuba about four years ago according to some sources. We have yet to get into contact with the family.”

 

Keith felt his stomach tighten up, and he swallowed bile that had risen up to the back of his tongue. Forcing his eyes up off the floor to look at the body of the victim, of Lance McClain, for just a second. One second. But it was hard. So hard. He could imagine the death, but he didn’t actually want to see it. It didn’t help the horrible feeling in his stomach that he recognized the face. He used to see him around Shiro’s bar from time to time. He wasn’t very well acquainted with this Lance, but still, the fact that he had once seen this boy alive and now he was not, it was just a cold, cold feeling.

 

After a long enough look at the pasty and pallor coffee skin on the table, he averted his eyes again, finding himself fidgeting in place uncomfortably and picking at the skin on his thumb. “Uhm… Give me… Give me a minute, Kolivan…” he mumbled when Kolivan shifted and crossed his hands in front of himself, most likely impatiently. He was waiting for Keith to give him his own observation, but right now he had none. It was so hard looking at this boy… Lance was only three years younger than he was. Hardly a boy at all, unless he considered himself one...which he didn't… He wondered why Lance was in the wrong place at the wrong time. How unlucky he was to meet his fate with the Tooth Fairy. And most importantly, why would the Tooth Fairy kill him? It seemed risky for the tooth fairy to kill in an apartment, too. He guessed houses with big yards weren’t as necessary for him anymore. That was about the only thing all of the killings seemed to have similar, were big backyards, but now there was nothing similar to it.

 

Allura perked her white head up to look at Keith. He was sort of acquainted with her...from past cases they worked together, but she never really had a face to him… Something told him that she would soon. “Long time no see, Kogane. You never come down here anymore.”

 

“Keith.” Keith corrected her. He couldn't stand for hardly anyone to call him by Kogane… He was going to ignore her comment and avoid her questions. Anyone who knew him knew he was uncomfortable with this place. It was one thing to see the body where it was found, but when you put it in the morgue, on a table, it made things… Different... He cleared his dry throat and sucked in a breath, forcing his legs to take a step closer to the table, but he was unable to look directly at the body, at  _ Lance _ again just yet. “Why do we believe this is the Tooth Fairy?”

 

“You want to get straight to the points… All right.” She straightened up and licked her pink lips, putting her dirtied blue gloved hands on her hips. “I think the most obvious clue would be the bite marks. Eight of them on this boy. That's more than the last… The worst one is on his shoulder… So far it seems to match the bite mark from the previous four victims, and the AB blood type as well. Cause of death was strangulation. It’s a bit different than a gunshot, but I think we know why... Most of the stab wounds are postmortem, as usual.” Allura explained, “He was quiet working. Neighbors heard nothing, or at least wouldn’t say if they did… And, our last point… Smashed mirrors in the eyes and mouth.”

 

“Well I guess he would have to be more careful in a place like that…” Keith mumbled. “The location he did this just baffles me. He’s never killed in a place that didn’t have lots of privacy… Did he…” Keith hated this word- as much as he hated the crime itself. It was something he believed shouldn’t exist, shouldn’t happen… “Was he molested like the others?..” He finally asked.

 

Allura nodded her head, a frown tugging at her lips. “There’s tearing to suggest that, yes…”

 

Keith frowned again. He felt sick. “So he gagged Lance… Killed Him. Molested him. Mirrors in the eyes and mouth…” He looked over at Kolivan with a blank look. “You didn’t need  _ me _ to tell you this…” Keith growled.

 

“Oh, I did. You aren’t done. You have to tell me  _ why _ all of this, why this boy-”

 

“I don’t know  _ why. _ ” Keith cut Kolivan off and he crossed his arms over his chest. He wanted to be done with this shit. Why did Kolivan keep putting  _ him _ on this case? “I’m not sure I’ll ever know why, Kolivan! I can’t be sure of anything with this one! He’s not stupid- He’s very intelligent. He leaves his evidence because he wants to- It isn’t because he isn’t careful-”

 

“Yeah. Go on, Keith.” Kolivan said, nodding his head and looking vaguely pleased that Keith had started to ramble his analysis- if he truly had one…

 

Keith shut his mouth immediately after that and sighed loudly with a shake of his head. This is what Kolivan wanted from him. Of course, his best profiler. He hated giving Kolivan what he wanted though… Kolivan gave him a look and he sighed again and looked away from him. “He’s… Sending a message. To someone. I don’t know who, why, or for what yet, but there’s someone out there this guy is trying to reach with his crimes. It’s nothing personal with the victims he chooses- not from what I can tell. This is a message to someone else, to someone the killer is close to, or…” Keith cut his own thoughts off for a moment and glanced back at Kolivan. “He’s upset about something… And he wants someone to know about it.”

 

“Is it because someone did him wrong? Was he molested too? Or beaten as a child?” Kolivan asked, getting serious.

 

_ How am I supposed to know… _ Keith pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know… I… Get the feeling that maybe this message isn’t for those who may have hurt him-”

 

“Then who is it for?” Kolivan cut him off, before he could answer that before he was asked. That was a little peeve Keith had… He hated when Kolivan asked a question before he could finish answering it. Kolivan only wanted to hear what he wanted to hear, and it wasn’t always what Keith had to say.

 

“It could be… It could be for us, but who can say for sure.” Keith said.

 

“Us?” Kolivan asked, furrowing his brows at the thought.

 

Keith nodded slowly. “Could be in the realm of possibilities. Maybe he thinks this is a game because he knows he keeps getting away. I already told you, he’s smart. He knows that. The only thing I can’t seem to see is the damage behind him… I don’t have a clear background. Who’s to say I ever will until we catch him? I’m just barking at the fucking moon here, Kolivan…” He sighed. He had theories, sure, but none of them were set in stone. They would shamble into dust with anymore evidence, or even become firmer, but as of now, they were about as scattered as marbles on a wood floor. He really was howling at the moon for ideas.

 

“You will say for sure. You will figure out the background we need to catch this guy. You will, Keith.” Kolivan replied.

 

Keith ignored that. It was the encouragement like that that he didn’t like. Kolivan thought he could solve all the problems in the world if he just used his imagination for everything, but imagination for stuff like this, it came with a price. Keith knew that, Kolivan did too, but he chose to ignore it over the fact that Keith had saved a few lives once, and he was hoping he could do it again. He hoped so too, but not like this. He’d rather have someone else do  _ this.  _ He could do the rest, maybe.

 

He felt himself frown when he finally looked at the boy’s face… His short brown hair a mess with matted blood and dried sweat, curling his hair up by his ears and forehead. He was far too pretty to have met a fate like this, but Keith guessed the Tooth Fairy had some type of standards too... He glanced at his hands to make sure he had put gloves on before he ran his fingers along Lance’s arm, taking note of the bruises and marks left on his wrists from a wire or cord. This boy struggled, Keith could tell that he put up a fight. He didn't want his life to end, not by this person. He must be bitter wherever he's at now... Keith didn’t really believe in an afterlife, but if ghost were a thing, this boy was sure to haunt the killer after what he did to him. 

 

“Did he have anything under his nails from our suspect?” Keith asked, picking his right hand up gently. He glanced up at Allura and then Coran who had been by Lance’s feet, searching for fingerprints, since that was his specialty. Allura’s face immediately told him that that was a no before she did.

 

“Just his own DNA. He was scratching at his own palms, and his arms had been binded during the attack… You know the Tooth Fairy is careful. A scratch on someone's face would be noticeable.” Allura said. She thought the same thing, that this boy would have fought, and fought as hard as one could when bound. 

 

“Mhm,” Keith agreed.

 

Coran who had been frighteningly quiet the whole time finally said something. It almost concerned Keith how long it took for Coran the jabber-jaws to talk, but he supposed he was just concentrating and thinking hard... “The bite mark is the best clue we've ever gotten from him, but this guy doesn't seem to have a dental record… Think he has bad teeth because he doesn’t visit a dentist?”

 

“I don’t know, does he?” Keith asked, glancing at Coran before he traced his finger over the worst bite on Lance’s shoulder.

 

“Well, they can’t be that bad, honestly, for leaving such nasty bites. You have to have some pretty strong teeth to bite through flesh-”

 

“Maybe this is how he fights…” Kolivan interrupted, absently rubbing his chin. “So do we start looking at other files with biting involved? Lesser crimes- like bar fights? From people who have survived potential attacks?” He asked, looking over at Keith. Like he knew what should be done here…

 

Keith chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment. “Slim chance you'll find anything of worth, but we’ll have to look… Allura, Coran, do you think you could make a mold of the bite mark? We can reconstruct what his teeth would look like, and have a better reference for who we're looking for, what kind of teeth this guy has.”

 

“Ah, we could always do a Have-You-Seen-These-Teeth APB!” Coran couldn’t help but chuckle at his joke. “It will take some time, but I'll do my best.” he said, dusting his hands.

 

___

 

12:00pm.

 

Keith sunk back into the chair, staring pointedly at the floor between his knees. Kolivan came back into the room with another three boxes of files upon files, and he dropped them at Keith’s feet. Keith glanced at him briefly before narrowing his gaze to the boxes with a sigh. That was a lot of files to sift through...

 

Kolivan plopped into his chair and rolled it over across from Keith. “I grabbed everything from the year 1998 up to today, including the ones with kids involved. We don't have an exact age for this person, they could have been twelve at the time of a report like this- or possibly younger.”

 

Keith glanced up again and nodded his head. “Let's just hope this guy has a notable past outside of murdering…”

 

Kolivan hummed, nodding his head too. “Mhm, lets hope.”

 

___

 

An hour of sifting through junk. This was nothing but junk, as Keith figured it would be. No one in the misdemeanor files involving biting seemed to fit what he was looking for. He wasn't that disappointed though since he didn’t expect to find anything in the first place. He threw himself back into his chair with a huff. 

 

“These don't fit.” Keith said, haphazardly kicking the brown box away from his feet before crossing one leg over the other. Hands on the armrests comfortably, even though he wasn't. He was itching to do something else. To be anywhere other than in an office with his boss…

 

Kolivan sighed and resorted to sitting back in his own chair now, looking just as done with these files as Keith was. “We should have been looking sooner… Why did we wait so long?” He seemed to be questioning himself. 

 

Good.

 

Keith shrugged slightly and pursed his lips. “We didn't know what we were dealing with… Not exactly. His first two crimes, think about it, they were sloppy, freakish. He had no pattern and no known motive, the only reason we knew it was the same guy is because of DNA we found. He only started killing with more of a pattern because he wants people to know he’s getting away. He's sly. No matter how hard we look, he won't be found that easy.”

 

“He can't kill again.” Kolivan said.

 

He will… Keith kept that thought to himself, but Kolivan was already thinking it too. Kolivan was getting worried, more worried than Keith’s seen him over a homicide case in a while. “I know…”

 

“The third and fourth were already a big problem with tabloids around here, causing panic and concern that we aren't doing our job. We were lucky for a six-month break before this fifth one, but we should have caught him after all this time! We have his DNA for fucks sake!”

 

“He’s not in any of our systems…”

 

“It doesn't matter! We could have-- should have been looking harder for this guy! This whole time! There's another one dead because of us!”

 

Keith clamped his jaw shut. This wasn't his fault. He was dragged into profiling these cases, he never wanted to be apart of the ‘ _ us _ ’, here. He didn't say anything, he simply stared at Kolivan. This shouldn't be my problem right now… He hated his job, or at least the field… He didn't want to be dragged back into it just because he was ‘good’ at catching  _ them _ , because he knew how to look for them once he could think like them… But he didn’t like thinking like them, the psychopaths… They were terrifying, and he recognized that he wasn’t too different from them...

 

“Don't act like you don't care about this, Kogane.” Kolivan growled, pulling Keith out of his head. 

 

Keith shook his head slightly and lifted a single hand dismissively. “I don't.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

Keith stood up finally and walked over to the door, passively ignoring Kolivan until he was halfway out of the door already. “I’m not sure I can catch this guy for you, Kolivan!” 

_ I don’t want to. _

 

___

  
  


4:45 pm

 

He cracked. He spent the last four hours going through the current details of Lance’s case with Allura and going over the details of the last case involving the Tooth Fairy. He was trying to find some type of pattern with the victims, but they had no correlation at all… They were just unlucky victims chosen by a serial killer trying to send a message to someone outside of their reach.

 

Keith stretched and set the folder on the table, glancing over at Allura who was cleaning Lance up now, after having been grimy all day while they were collecting every bit of evidence they could find. Allura already had Lance’s clothes waiting for her to finish her analysis of them, hanging over a table a few glass rooms over. They looked… _ ominous _ over there, hanging by themselves. Like they were floating… He ignored the discomfort he felt though and bit his lip, watching the water drip to the drain on the floor. 

 

Allura had paused suddenly, the water stopping. “ _ Shit— _ hey, Keith, come look at this.” She said and stepped aside. She leaned closer to Lance’s side and rolled his body to the side just a bit.

 

Keith hopped off the counter he was perched on and stepped over, leaning down slightly to squint at the same thing she was- a scar.  _ A scarred  _ **_bite mark_ ** . 

 

Allura’s jaw was slack with shock. “I- I didn’t notice these earlier— How could I have missed these?! Oh my god,”

 

Keith swallowed and glanced at the fresher bites, then back at the scars. It was hard to tell, but they definitely were the same size. “You… Don’t think?”

 

“This wasn’t the first attack on this boy,” Allura said, sounding disbelieved. “This means we were wrong somewhere along the way.”

 

“You mean  _ I _ was wrong…” Keith muttered. Great… But nothing could be found in any type of documents, so either Lance hadn’t reported anything had these been from something terribly bad, or these two were…something, long before the Tooth Fairy decided to murder him. There were a few neighbors that said Lance had a boyfriend, and that they were pretty loud whenever he came over; minus the last night… Keith cleared his throat and walked over to the counter to lean his hip on. “Don’t say anything about this to Kolivan yet…”

 

“What?! Why not? This could be our lead for something-” Allura started. 

 

Keith shook his head. “We don’t know what this could mean yet. It could be a million things,”

 

“Well what are you thinking?”

 

Keith shrugged. “I don’t know. But I’ll find out.”

 

Allura pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded her head once. “… You will… But where do you start with this information? You and Kolivan just went through thousands of case files involving biting…”

 

“This wasn’t reported. For one reason or another, and I’ll find that reason out, I will… Do you trust me?”

 

Allura looked over at him for a long moment, her brows furrowed with concern. “Of course…” she said hesitantly.

 

Keith just nodded. He needed someone to trust him with this other than Kolivan. Allura could have her doubt still, that was fine with him. If any, it just made him strive to be right when someone doubted him. 

 

Allura examined the rest she could find, going back and forth between the new and the old bites, still washing him up while she could. She frowned to herself, but Keith saw it. She didn’t know what to think of this. She probably  _ didn’t _ want to think of this… They were quiet for a long while, and Keith just watched her silently before he spoke up again.

 

“...Kolivan thinks I can catch this guy.”

 

Allura paused and glanced over at him. “You caught the last,” she said.

 

“That was just dumb luck and bad bookkeeping…” Keith mumbled, dropping his head and putting his hands behind his neck. “I’m not so sure I can catch this one, Allura… I… I want to, to get this maniac off the street, but I still don’t know if I can…”

 

Allura shrugged, smirking a bit to herself. She turned the water off and put the hose back up on its dangling hook. “You call it dumb luck, but you're the one that took the evidence and made the connections before any of us did. I’m confident you can do the same here.” 

 

“Anyone could have done that…”

 

Allura walked over and leaned her hip against the same counter Keith was on. “You hate the field, I get it. I think a part of us all do, because when we find another body we all assume we aren't doing something right, especially with a case like this-”

 

“ _ Especially _ with a case like this.” Keith repeated, sighing. 

 

“Right, but wouldn't you rather be out here trying to do something about this than just sitting back doing nothing?” 

 

“I don't know, honestly… Sometimes I think I chose the wrong career to be in.” Keith laughed, but it was forced. 

 

Allura shrugged her shoulders and stepped away from him, back over to the table beside Lance. “I like what I do, personally, but I know it must be different for a criminal profiler like you, who might even be a little crazy himself-” She shot him a look when she said it and then laughed, throwing her palms up when Keith glared at her. “I'm just kidding!”

 

“So you think I'm unstable too?”

 

“You're not officially FBI because you couldn't past the test, so...yeah. Maybe a little.” She admitted, but she didn't mean it harshly, she was just being honest.

 

Keith leaned away from the counter and took a step away from it. It was time to go to the apartment… He promised Kolivan he would go interpret the evidence on his own before someone had to clean it all up. And in an apartment complex like that, he had a time limit. He didn't say anything more about their topic, he just left it at that. There wasn't a way for him to respond anyway because he couldn’t defend himself there. He  _ was _ unstable. “See you tomorrow. I’ve gotta go… _ interpret _ stuff...” He waved half-heartedly at her when he walked out and over to the elevator, stuffing his hands into his pockets quickly after to get the chill off of them.

 

___

 

5:13pm

 

He made it to the complex at 5:13, a little sooner than he thought he would in the city, but he wasn’t complaining. Lance’s room was on the ground level, past the stairs and two doors down to the right. G11. This was a much better and bigger complex than the one he and Shiro lived in, it was nice honestly, even being in the city like it was. He took a deep breath and stepped over to the door. It was crossed off with the yellow tape, blatantly obvious that something bad happened inside. He hated seeing the yellow tape, he knew it only drew curious people here, but they had to have it. He stopped and stared at the handle for a long second, turning the key over in his hand. He didn’t want to do this. He saw some of the pictures before coming here, and Kolivan had been right. It was a fucking mess inside. But he unlocked the door anyway and stepped through the tape cautiously. He could smell the iron and blood immediately when he opened the door, and it made his stomach churn. 

 

Breathing in through his nose wasn’t going to be a bright idea here, but he didn’t exactly like the idea of breathing in through his mouth here either. He stepped into the small living area, pointing his flashlight at the floor. He could have turned the lights on, but doing that would put him out of his element. The Tooth Fairy had done this at night, with minimal light, he was sure, so he was going to walk through the same way he did…

 

There were trails of blood on the floor, leading to the door all the way from where he presumed the bedroom was, around the kitchen corner. He shone his flashlight around the room and looked around. It looked like a normal place. A bit of clutter, but no more than he and Shiro had in their apartment together. Lance lived alone though, according to neighbors. They had said he often had a friend- a boyfriend- come over, though. No one knew who he was though, so they had no name and nothing really useful other than Lance was a noisy neighbor when he was around… It was a potential that the boyfriend could have done this and been the Tooth Fairy. They’ve never had potential witness’ for the Tooth Fairy before. Guess they would find out when the boyfriend finally came around. 

 

He followed the trail of blood on the carpet carefully, making sure he didn’t step in it with his boots. It was drying up, but still, Keith had contaminated a crime scene once, he wasn’t doing it again like this. The bedroom door was left cracked open, and as expected, the blood was leading from there, under the door. A little blood on the door itself. He hesitated again, blinking blankly at the door. He had to suck this up and get on with it. He didn’t need to see much, just enough… He pushed the door open with his fingers then and took a step inside. The smell of blood was even stronger in here. It smelled awful, and he had to swallow down bile again before throwing it up. The bed was messed up and soaked with blood and had strands of brown hair still on the white— now  _ red _ sheets. Every sign of struggle was prominent still. It hardly looked like anyone had been through here yet, but the forensic team had tethered red strings around the room to document the blood splatter from the bed to the walls and floor.

 

It really was a fucking mess. The Tooth Fairy made a mess on purpose.

 

Keith had to look away to the cleanest corner of the room, the wall with the window. It had very little blood spray on it, on the sheer white curtains. The window was cracked open, just barely. It must have been like that when the team got here. They weren’t supposed to open any windows like that, but they  _ were _ supposed to close them, usually, especially for this… He sighed and carefully stepped over to it, placing his hands on the glass to shove it down closed. He would make sure to write that down in the file somewhere or check to see if they had already.

 

He glanced back over at the bed and red strings. He had to do this. He had to  _ think. _ He took a deep breath before closing his eyes. The feeling of a pendulum swinging back the time filled his mind. Once… Twice… A third and a fourth time, with the heavy FWUM sound of each swing. It made him shiver. He could hear his blood rushing in his ears now. He kept his mauve eyes closed until he felt like he had been put back outside of the front door, and when he opened them, he  _ was _ there. Outside of the entrance door…

 

There was no yellow tape on the door this time, and it was later in the evening but it couldn’t have been too late… No… because  _ He _ came a little early for this one. This truly wasn’t like the others…  _ He _ spent time with Lance, obvious or not obvious, but Keith knew.  _ Lance knew him _ .  _ He _ knocked on the door unexpectedly, a cunning smile on  _ his _ face when the door opened for  _ him _ . Lance had no face, but he looked horrified when  _ he  _ pushed  _ his _ way inside and clamped a hand over Lance’s mouth. There was a cloth in it, he realized.  _ He _ had chloroformed Lance so  _ he _ could do half of  _ his  _ work.  _ He  _ needed to be quiet after all.  _ He _ picked Lance up and carried him to the last place he would ever be alive, to his bedroom. Things seemed faster paced now.  _ He _ bound Lance’s arms and legs with a cord, tight enough to be painful.  _ He _ wanted it to be painful. There was fun in that, especially with… someone who once thought you were their friend. 

 

_ I _ had no intentions on being his friend for real. _ I  _ only got close to him because  _ I _ saw an  **_opportunity_ ** .

 

Keith squeezed his closed eyes, trying to keep them closed, trying to keep the image there but suddenly the focus was gone. Just like that.  _ His _ opportunity, gone.

 

He blinked his eyes open then. The image was lost already, and it was just him, really him back in the bedroom- at 5:33pm.  _ Tuesday, S _ eptember 5th _. _ Not Monday, not last night… He blinked and glanced at the door over his shoulder. “He saw an opportunity here…” Keith muttered to himself while he looked around the room still, confusion was probably still clear on his face. He  _ was _ confused. What opportunity did killing Lance give this guy? 

 

He groaned and shook his head at himself.  _ I need to go… _ He couldn’t finish this now. He was tired, and he was sure his feeling about this was all wrong. If it hadn’t been, he had no idea what opportunity it could have possibly been. Maybe Lance was close to someone the Tooth Fairy  _ really _ wanted to hurt. His golden ticket, if there was one… 

 

He grabbed his recorder out of his pocket and talked into it about his experience here, and told it he would have to come back another time to reassess this one. A simple reminder not to forget to try this again. Maybe he just needed a clearer head to understand, but he certainly didn’t have one right now.

  
  


___

  
  


5:58pm

  
  


He parked three blocks away from the bar, taking his time to walk there. There was no need to rush when his head was still cluttered with his work. He couldn’t stop thinking about what he thought of the crime earlier. It was strange. He didn’t know how wrong he could be anymore. It was possible he had been wrong about the tooth fairy the entire time, but he didn’t know why suddenly. These crimes were to get people to notice him, and get a rise out of someone in particular in the crowd, or maybe just the FBI… He was only just starting this game, though. The Tooth Fairy still had plenty more pawns to play, Keith could feel it. He was working up to something, something scary and close…

 

Keith paused in front of the bar, blinking at the slightly raised threshold. He was here for Shiro now, not work… Shiro was probably upset with him for this morning… Not that Shiro would ever deliberately make him feel bad about it, but that didn't change the fact that Keith knew he had done wrong. He swallowed before grabbing the handle and pulling it open, stepping into the clean bar that Shiro had decorated so well. It really did have a lot of style, kind of classy, but still very casual and moody in its own little way. Shiro was behind the bar, talking to one of his patrons that was sitting closest to the half wall. That was Keith's favorite spot whenever he came to visit Shiro while he was working… guess he wasn't sitting there right now, though…

 

He took a few more steps in before Shiro had finally noticed him, perking up and smiling when he saw Keith. Shiro jogged over to him then.

 

“Hey baby,”

 

“Hey…” Keith murmured, wrapping his arms the moment Shiro had stepped close enough. “I feel like an ass for this morning-”

 

“Don't. It’s fine, I realized you were late, too.” Shiro said. He kissed Keith on his head and wrapped his arms around Keith in return, rubbing his back soothingly. “Kolivan didn't have your head did he?”

 

Keith hummed and nuzzled his head into Shiro’s chest. He was very warm and comforting… Shiro was like his personal living, breathing teddy bear. He was so thankful for Shiro in so many ways… “No…”

 

Shiro lifted his head up from under his chin and planted a warm kiss on his lips. “Oh, good, then maybe we can do it again sometime…” Shiro teased and he snickered against Keith’s lips before kissing him again, even better this time.

 

Keith just nodded his head, and closed his eyes, leaning into the kiss slightly. “Yeah…” 

 

Shiro leaned back after that, smiling warmly. “Go grab a seat, tell me about your day.” he said, nudging Keith over to the bar with a hand against his back. He went back behind the bar, patting the counter in front of a seat for Keith. 

 

Shiro was really too good for him…

 

He blinked and stepped over, sitting down. “Uhm…” Keith leaned against the counter, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know you don't want to hear this, but Kolivan has me back on the tooth fairy case again…” he started, dropping his eyes. He knew Shiro didn't like that case any more than he did… Not after how much time and distance it’s put between them in the past.

 

Shiro paused, his smile dropping. “Wait, again?..” 

 

He sounded so disappointed… Keith frowned and brought his eyes back up to meet Shiro’s. He lowered his voice so the few people around wouldn't hear. The news and tabloids were already all over this, but everything was still hush hush as it could be. “There was another murder last night…”

 

“Oh shit…” Shiro sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck warily, still frowning. “Are you going to be okay?..”

 

“Why are you asking about me?” Keith muttered. “I'll be alright… I - I just don't want work to affect us again, Shiro… I'm not going to let it, okay?” His bottom lip wobbled. He meant it. He wanted Shiro to know that he was more important to him than his work...he had to be. Or at least Keith really needed to be thinking that for himself.

 

Shiro didn't say anything, and Keith knew why, but it almost hurt… Shiro didn't believe him either… He saw Keith lie this morning, even before Keith knew there was another big case. He put his work before Shiro… 

 

Shiro chewed his lip, his brow furrowed at Keith. He glanced over to his patron in the corner and walked over, glancing at Keith from the corner of his eye as he walked away. 

 

Great.

 

He just fixed what he screwed up months ago with Shiro, and now he was bound to do it again it seemed… No one knew just how much that hurt. Even if Keith could tough most of it out, he always did it with Shiro. They were partners, soulmates, Keith truly believed that, and now he was pushing his soulmate away because he couldn't get away from his work, even when he was home. Stuff like this fucked him up, and he was different after each big case. It caused problems, even if Keith hated admitting it because it was because of him.

 

Shiro came back after tending to the customer, stepping from around the bar to sit next to Keith on a metal stool. “I love you, Keith…” he said quietly, grabbing for Keith’s hand and holding it in his. He looked at Keith with a fond look, but Keith felt like it was just so forced right now… Shiro always was more controlled over his reactions than he was. “Through everything, you know that. Sometimes I have a problem with your job, yeah, but I know how hard you worked to get where you are, I was right there with you for all those long years of studying in high school and then college, and your courses with the FBI… I'm not…I'm not going to quit you over this. So don't worry so much, Love...”

 

Keith blinked, feeling tears well up in his eyes. “I'm sorry…” he whispered, trying to keep his voice from breaking. That was fruitless. His voice broke anyway, and those tears just got hotter and made things blearier.

 

Shiro squeezed his hand, leaning in and kissing Keith on the cheek where tears had silently started to fall. “I'll close the bar early tonight, okay?” Shiro murmured, brushing Keith’s hair back behind his ear and pressing a tender kiss to his cheek again to calm him down.

 

“Y- You don't have to do that,” Keith sniffled and wiped his face on his sleeve. He couldn't believe he started crying… If  _ that _ wasn't a sign that he was stressed out...

 

“It’s Tuesday, I close early anyway.” Shiro winked at him reassuringly and stood up. “Bar closes at 9 on Tuesdays.”

 

Keith grabbed his arm before he stepped away, biting his quivering lip. God, he hated acting like this, but he just couldn't do any of this without Shiro. He didn't think he could function without Shiro. Even if he seemed fine at work most days, that was only because he knew he had Shiro to come home to after work. He had to make this work for Shiro, for  _ them _ . He slid off the stool and stepped close to Shiro, still holding onto his arm gingerly. He wanted Shiro to hug him again, but he couldn’t ask. It felt like it would be too much to be asking for right now. “I think I'll sit in the back room for awhile,” he muttered, giving Shiro’s arm a light squeeze before letting go. 

 

Shiro nodded, picking his hand up to brush Keith’s cheek soothingly. “I'll come check on you in a bit.”

 

Keith just nodded back and walked to the doorway behind the bar. It was the storeroom and break room all in one. Small, but not cramped. Shiro knew how to organize, much better than Keith did. He didn’t bother turning the overhead light on. The lamp Shiro had on his desk was enough for him for now. 

 

He walked over to the small desk and Shiro’s chair, with Shiro’s old trusty laptop that served as his work computer now. He had gotten himself a new one for home anyway, one that they both shared. They shared nearly everything, but Keith didn't mind that in the slightest. What was his was Shiro’s, and it would always be that way to Keith.

 

He must’ve fiddled with little things and papers on the desk for probably an hour by himself. Reading all of Shiro’s little notes to himself that made Keith smile to himself. He knew he was lucky for a goofball like Shiro. Shiro was mature as hell on the outside, and took matters seriously, but Keith knew he wasn't  _ always _ so serious. Not even at work, like he was… Shiro could write silly things to himself for people to stumble upon, he could act silly with his friends, and be relaxed when he was around strangers. He had no problem with that sort of thing. And he was really humble, unlike Keith… They felt really different than one another, but still, they never treated each other as such. 

 

Shiro peeked his head into the room, a small smile on his face visible. “Hey, you feeling better?”

 

Keith perked his head up from the desk to look at Shiro. He smiled back. “Yeah,”

 

Shiro gestured him to come over with his head. “Why don't you come out? I could use your company.”

 

Keith stood up from the chair and made his way over to Shiro. He stood up on his toes to kiss Shiro’s lips tenderly. He was never going to get enough of that, not for as long as Shiro allowed it. It was one of the few things that calmed him. “Okay.”

 

Shiro leaned into the kiss, smiling warmly. “I'll get you something to drink, you can relax,” he said, grabbing both of Keith’s hands and stepping backwards back into the bar. “Whiskey for my baby, right?”

 

Keith hummed and nodded. He couldn’t help but smile now. Shiro loved him. He was so lucky. He didn't know how many times he had to remind himself of that, but he really was lucky for a love like this. “Yeah, how about a whiskey sling?”

 

“Oooh? Going fancy tonight, huh? Alright,” Shiro teased.

 

“That’s not fancy…” Keith snickered.

 

Shiro let go of his hands and turned around, grabbing a wine glass from his counter. “Go sit. Your corner is free now, I made sure no one else sat there once the lady left.”

 

“That's not bad customer service to shoo a customer away from a seat?” Keith chuckled, walking around the bar and plotting down in his corner seat. 

 

Shiro grinned and shrugged. He dumped ice and water into the empty wine glass to let it chill. “Not when I want my boyfriend to visit me and socialize.” 

 

Keith bit his bottom lip, watching Shiro work behind the counter. “That makes me feel special,”

 

“You are,”

 

Keith smiled again, propping his elbow up on the counter to lean on. He hid his bubbly smile under his hand. This was the only time he ever smiled like this, a truly happy smile, when he felt bubbly with Shiro. “I love you so much…” Keith whined quietly behind his hand. He watched Shiro shake up his drink, the only real reason he asked for something other than straight whiskey. He liked watching Shiro doing what he loved. 

 

“What? Couldn't hear you,” Shiro teased, shaking the mixer obnoxiously by his ear.

 

Keith smiled wider, chomping on his bottom lip. He swore he could feel his heart swell in his chest. Stupid Shiro… Making him break his own heart one minute, then ache with the feeling of love the next. “I said, I love you,” Keith repeated, beaming under his hand until Shiro pulled it away and kissed him hard. 

 

Keith wasn't big on PDA, but the kiss was quick enough, and the woman closest to them only spared a glance before talking on her phone again and sipping her fruity looking drink. Keith huffed thoughtfully when Shiro pulled away. He felt fuzzy after the kiss with Shiro, but it was a good kind of fuzzy, the kind of softness he needed and liked.

 

“ _ I love you _ .” Shiro murmured, smiling at Keith with warm eyes. He gave Keith his whiskey sling after he put it in the glass and took a sip of it for himself. “Ooh, it’s a little lemony… Enjoy.”

 

Keith took the glass and held it in his hands. “Thanks. I’ll be sure to leave a tip.” That was Keith’s way of trying to be playful, he wasn’t very good at being playful or funny, but Shiro still laughed.

 

“I’ll accept my tip from you after the doors close, okay?” Shiro winked at him. He leaned his arm against the half wall, glancing down the bar and the surrounding tables to see his customers. They talked for a bit in the corner, conversation broken up by Shiro having to tend to customers every few minutes, but that was fine. Keith could be patient for Shiro, and the alcohol started to mellow him out now. Shiro was usually the only bartender on weekdays when business was slower, and that was fine, until Keith thought about what Kolivan said earlier to scare him. 

 

_ Don’t you worry about Shiro with a killer on the loose? _

 

Yes…

 

He did. 

 

He worried about Shiro even when there wasn't a known serial killer walking the streets.

 

He blinked at his glass and swallowed dryly. He was going to have to talk to Shiro about this. He suddenly didn’t like the idea of Shiro working a barroom by himself, especially since Keith would most definitely be working late over the next few weeks. “... Hey, Shiro,”

 

“Yeah?” Shiro glanced over his shoulder at him while he prepared a drink for another customer, something with tequila.

 

“Do you work alone tomorrow?”

 

“Mhm, usually do. Why?”

 

“I’m just… It’s this case…” Keith shifted in his seat, avoiding eyes with Shiro again. He shouldn’t bring this up again. He didn’t want to do something that would upset Shiro by just worrying about him and the situation in the city. “I’ll be working late probably, and I’m just worried about you being alone at night…”

 

Shiro slid the drink over to the customer before walking back over to Keith’s corner, though he was on the opposite side of the bar from him. He leaned towards Keith on his elbows, he was quiet for a second while he tried to catch Keith’s eye. It didn’t take him long. Shiro was the one person Keith never hid from. “I can tell you’re worried… So is this guy just picking random people off the streets or something?”

 

“I don’t know for sure yet…”

 

Shiro chewed his cheek. “You know I worry about you too, right? You’re out there actually trying to find this guy…”

 

Keith shrugged his shoulders halfheartedly. He’s done more dangerous things than this. Capturing even a serial killer wasn’t quite a dramatic as some people wanted to believe it was, it was just that rush of  _ FINALLY _ . Sometimes, the killers even surrendered and made things easy, but they hardly ever fought it. It was people in denial of their crimes that did, but serial killers typically weren’t in denial of their crimes. “I get to carry a gun though…”

 

Shiro sighed and shook his head. He leaned back off the counter. “And I know you’re shit with a gun… In my own defense, I’ve taken self-defense classes, I used to teach them. I can really hold my own.”

 

Keith furrowed his brow. “That’s… That’s not it… I don’t think this guy just straight up attacks his victims anyway… He-- He’s probably friendly with all of his victims before he captures them and tortures them to death—” Keith’s lip curled downward and forced his mouth to shut. He tried not to let the images of what this killer did into his head. Not now, not now. He didn't want to see those images right now...

 

“Well he wouldn’t just attack  _ me _ then—”

 

“Unless he already knew you…” Keith murmured. His head snapped back up. Shit- That’s right. Lance frequented the bar if he remembered his face correctly. He stumbled off his stool and scrambled for his phone. “Shit- Fuck— Wait- I want you to see the recent victim—”

 

Shiro frowned slightly and reached over the bar to snatch Keith’s arm when he stumbled. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to Keith either. “Maybe, but what could I tell you?”

 

“Last time you’ve seen him alive,” Keith seemed to pause while he flipped through photos on his phone, “Uhm… Wh-Who he was with when he was last seen here…” He rambled, pulling a photo up that he had snapped of Lance’s drivers licenses photo earlier, and shoving it to Shiro. 

 

Shiro grabbed the phone to look at the photo, his face dropping when he got a good look at the face. “La— ..He was the last victim?...” Shiro asked, his voice trembled slightly and he had an absolutely horrified face.

 

Keith felt bad suddenly. “You know him pretty well…” Keith said, rather than asked. He knew just by the reaction that Shiro had known him pretty well. Probably even considered him a friend, knowing Shiro… “What can you tell me about him?”

 

Shiro bit his lip and handed the phone back to Keith. “... Y-Yeah… That’s Lance… He comes around the bar often...” He winced slightly when he had to correct himself for that. “O-or used to… I-I just saw him Sunday, Keith… He was… He was here with me.”

 

Keith put his phone back into his pocket silently. He felt really bad for having shown Shiro Lance’s picture. Lance must have truly been one of the better customers if it got a reaction like this out of Shiro. That wasn't too surprising… Shiro was friendly, and he had a big heart for anyone who showed kindness the way he did. “He was killed last night…” Keith said. He glanced up at the camera Shiro had installed in the corner. “If he was here as recently as two days ago, I need to see that,”

 

Shiro glanced to where Keith had then nodded. “... Sure.”

 

___

 

9:06pm

 

The bar was empty now, they had gotten everyone to leave and go home. Shiro had to call an uber for a few of the patrons, but other than that there weren't any more complications getting the bar locked down and cleaned up. 

 

They were quiet the whole time they were cleaning up, with Keith helping of course… Shiro was sweeping the floor and picking up chairs while Keith cleaned the glasses and put them away behind the bar. He knew where everything in Shiro’s bar went, they opened it together after all, even if technically Keith didn't consider the bar his, and he didn't know how to mix cocktails to save his life, nor hold a conversation with a stranger the way Shiro did… Shiro was good at this, and he understood why Shiro wanted to open up a place like this of his own, even if Keith didn’t really see the profit of it, but there was one, and a good enough one for the Five Lions to have been opened up for nearly two years now.

 

Keith chewed on the inside of his lip, glancing up at Shiro every so often. He seemed to be in shock from this still. He was quiet and much less…happy? than usual… That was understandable, but Keith had never seen Shiro so hurt before, not in the twelve years they’ve known each other. The death of his friend was a tough one, Keith could understand. Now it made that case that much more uncomfortable, but he would be sure to bring justice to Shiro’s friend.

 

Shiro was going to show him the video from Sunday when Lance was supposedly at the bar, and maybe Keith would see something that would give him a lead. He sure hoped it would. He needed one. “So… How well did you know Lance?” Keith asked slowly, trying to keep his eyes trained on the glass he was drying rather than on Shiro.

 

Shiro stopped sweeping for a brief second, pausing before continuing and answering quietly. “... he was one of my more frequent customers. We had a lot of conversation, I guess, and he became one of my dearest friends… I’ve… I’ve talked about him a few times, remember? He’s the one I would hang out with when you worked late nights and stuff… You met him here a few times?”

 

Keith made a soft ‘ _ Oh _ ’ sound. He didn’t remember… Badly, he probably never paid that much attention to Shiro’s talks about his friends, but surely he would have remembered if he was a frequent topic, right?… Maybe… Keith wasn’t sure… The past few months haven’t been the best for him, but Shiro saying that made him feel worse. Made him feel like he didn’t care or pay attention to Shiro’s life outside of  **_them_ ** . He did, or tried to… He remembered meeting Lance a few times, but he was never interested in knowing Lance. Lance never developed a  _ face.  _ Not to him. But Shiro was close to Lance… So Lance had a face to Shiro at least.

 

They were quiet again now. Keith just didn't know what to say to that… He didn't want to say anything or ask another question about Lance because he didn't want to upset Shiro too much right now by trying to pry for information yet. He couldn’t read the feeling entirely anymore. He felt like he was missing something big here, but he didn’t know what…

 

This was…  _ good _ though, He had someone who knew Lance and saw him frequently. If the Tooth Fairy was friendly with Lance for a while, surely this Lance could have talked about him. Maybe he was the boyfriend or a jealous friend, someone Lance got annoyed enough with to drink about and say something to someone like Shiro.

 

Shiro set his broom away and walked over to Keith. “Come on, I'll show you the video from Sunday night…”

 

Keith followed him into the storeroom, and he sat on the edge of the desk while Shiro got the video feed up on the laptop. 

 

Shiro cleared his throat and turned the laptop screen towards Keith. “He was here for a few hours, from 6 to 10 I believe... He usually hung around the bar with me…” Shiro explained quietly. 

 

Keith put his leg on the table and pulled the laptop into his lap, watching the video play at a 1x speed. Shiro was talking to him, to Lance. In fact, that was the first place this Lance had gone, was to Shiro. Not that that was weird, Shiro did say they were friends and Shiro was the bartender here… Most people did go to him first thing, but Matt was there working too. Keith had come to the bar way later than 6 Sunday. It was closer to midnight by the time he came to pick Shiro up since right now they shared a car. If one had the car, the other usually got an uber to get to and fro, or they waited for each other if they could.

 

Keith was quiet, watching every single person that Lance talked to, or to anyone that came up to Lance. There were a few people, and Keith made sure to take note of them and ask if Shiro knew who they were. Shiro only knew one from that night that was seen talking to Lance, another of his frequent patrons, Iverson.

 

“Do you know their relation?”

 

“No, sorry…” Shiro frowned when he answered. He knew he wasn't much help, and it was obvious he wanted to be. “He had a few friends that would hang out with him here occasionally, though… Hunk Garrett is one of his closest friends that I know of.”

 

“And? How did they act around each other here?”

 

“Hunk’s always been really friendly, he and Lance are good friends…” Shiro paused, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his gray eyes shut. “Jesus… Do you think he knows?..”

 

“No details have been released to the public yet, so no, unless he was there or was the one to find Lance and report it…” Keith said. That probably wasn’t any more comforting to Shiro.

 

“I can't imagine finding out that kind of news…” Shiro muttered solemnly.

 

Keith couldn’t either, had it been Shiro found in that room- or  _ their _ room, rather… He didn’t want to think about the mental image of Shiro’s body laying lifeless in a bed, covered in blood. That wouldn’t be pretty. That was the opposite of a pretty image… Shiro was very quiet now, and he had a concentrated look on his face. There was something else Shiro must have known. Something he must not be sure he could say…

 

“Did he ever talk about a boyfriend?” Keith asked. Might as well try and get to the point here. Shiro had to know something.  _ Something. _

 

Shiro’s face flushed, and his mouth opened and closed a few times before anything came out of it. “Uh— M-Maybe, but I-I don’t… I don’t know…” He said quietly.

 

“Shiro…” He said softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You have to tell me anything you know about Lance. This will help us catch who did this to him…” That was maybe a lie… It wasn’t a guarantee that anything Shiro said would help in this case, but everything was worth knowing about just in case the Tooth Fairy really was closer to Lance than expected. 

 

Shiro chewed his upper lip, sighing quietly after a second. “..I don’t know about a boyfriend… But something else happened to Lance that he confided in me about…”

 

Keith nodded for him to go on.   _ Shiro just say it… He’s dead now, he can’t care which of his secrets you spill.  _ That was an insensitive thought, but he couldn’t help but to feel that it was true. Dead boys can’t care. End of story.

 

“One of my other customers, Lotor… Lance had… Lance had told me that he had assaulted him a while back…”

 

Uh-oh… “Did he ever report this incident to the police?”

 

“No… He was too scared to, and I couldn’t force him to report what had happened.”

 

Keith scrubbed at his face roughly and sighed tiredly. Of course Lance hadn’t. Now some other damn slippery bastard got away. They didn’t take those kinds of cases lightly either, and nothing irked Keith more than when victims didn’t speak up. They didn’t realize that not speaking out only meant that this person would just keep getting away, and he knew most people didn’t just assault someone once. But this did give him a lead on who the older bites on Lance could have been from. “Great… People really need to report this stuff… Did he tell you when it happened, or give you any details you could share? Was he positive it was this guy, Lotor?”

 

Shiro frowned too and shook his head.

 

“Nothing at all? Other than it may have been one of your other customers?”

 

Shiro sighed. “I… I can’t remember everything, but Lotor stopped coming by after that. He might be someone suspicious, Keith… Please, just… Try to look into him… I don’t know who else would hurt Lance…” 

 

Keith pushed the laptop from his lap then and slid off the desk onto his feet. “Well, this is actually good… Do you have a last name for Lotor? Any other personal information on him?”

 

“Yeah, I believe it’s Dolarhyde. I usually have to ID people, but regulars I don't ID every time anymore… And he hasn’t been around in a while after that happened to Lance… That’s why I believed Lance. It seemed suspicious of Lotor.” 

 

Keith nodded slowly. Of course. Makes sense. “If he ever comes in again, ID him. Get me his ID number if you can and call me. I’ll look into this guy as much as I can without any warrants…” Keith said, grabbing the notebook he always had on him out of his pocket and scratching down the name. Maybe he'd find something on this guy. He had an itching feeling about this, so much that it made his hands jittery.  His whole head was a whirl from today. All this new information and ideas floating around his head. He's never had a lead on the Tooth Fairy, no one ever did. But this could have been it. DNA was always a start but did no good if no one in the national database matched. That gave him an idea though, maybe he could get DNA from a glass next time this guy came to the bar. He'd have to keep that in mind. Shiro did say he was a regular here once. Maybe now that the boy he raped was dead and out of the way, he would back. That would  _ surely _ raise suspicions in Keith’s book.

 

Shiro grabbed Keith’s forearms suddenly, giving him a concerned look down at his hands. “Hey, are  _ you _ okay?..”

Keith blinked and looked at Shiro. He nodded to Shiro. “Yeah- Yeah. This is just-- exciting. It might actually be our first real lead to the bastard Tooth Fairy.”

 

“… That's mildly terrifying to think the Tooth Fairy is potentially one of my customers…” Shiro said. The frown on his face deepening. 

 

Keith agreed. That thought especially terrified him, but he wouldn't let anything happen to Shiro. Never ever. Over his dead body. He was sure that they would die together, when it did happen. He hoped it would be when they were both old, though, like in the Notebook… That's the only way he could imagine Shiro dying. And honestly, that’s the only way he could see himself dying, was next to Shiro. He couldn’t imagine it any other way, or anything more perfect. He kept all of those thoughts to himself though, always have, and probably always will, because Shiro didn't dwell on death like he did, and Keith wasn't even sure that Shiro would want to stay committed to him for that long… It was depressing to think about, but Keith always thought about Shiro leaving him one day, and just how broken it would leave him if that day ever came.

 

He chewed his lip, watching Shiro. He looked oddly sick, or like he wanted to cry. Maybe he had been a little insensitive and didn’t consider how this news could have effected Shiro. It was obvious it did, but he was only worried about new information. Keith frowned a little and slid into Shiro’s lap, snaking his arms around his neck loosely.

 

“Hey… I’m sorry… He was really a good friend, wasn’t he?” 

 

Shiro was still for a moment before he wrapped his arms around him and held onto him tightly, burying his head in the crook of his neck. “I…can’t believe it was Lance…”

 

“I’ll let you know any details I find, okay?”

 

“N - No, Keith… I... Don’t want to know anything. Don’t tell me anything.” Shiro begged. “I don’t want to know what happened to him. I know this Tooth Fairy fucker or whatever you guys want to call him, he- he doesn’t do anything pretty. And I just don’t want that image in my head of Lance…”

 

Keith stayed quiet, and still in Shiro’s arms. He wasn’t sure how to comfort Shiro, but now he knew that this did hurt Shiro a lot… He was a little surprised by how much, and it made him a little curious about what kind of person Lance could have been when he was alive. He was probably a good kid, just happened to be in the wrong places, not once, but twice. At least this would be his last wrong place for once. He would find the Tooth Fairy, for Lance and all of the other victims. It was sad to see Shiro hurt so much over this. He couldn’t do anything to comfort Shiro right now, but he severely wished he could.

 

They sat there for a very long time after that, just breathing quietly in the dim room. Keith had laid his head on Shiro’s shoulder, waiting for Shiro to either say something or have them get up. It was a few minutes more before Shiro finally shifted slightly in the chair and spoke again.

 

“I’m sorry for this, Keith… I’m okay now… It’s just… Lance really was a good friend… You would have liked him had you known him better… I… regret not really introducing the two of you…” Shiro squeezed him tight in a hug and let out a sigh. 

 

“It’s okay… I understand.” Keith said quietly.

 

“… Thank you for helping me clean up the bar tonight…” Shiro whispered, pressing a quick kiss to his temples. “Let’s go home…”

 

 


	2. ADRONITIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 11 months earlier, Lance had met the Five Lion's bar owner, Shiro.  
> He didn't expect himself to become infatuated with someone who was already in a relationship, but after his girlfriend moved away, he didn't have anything better to do than to fall in love.  
> Part 1 out of 3 of Lance's chapters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was almost 20k long but I cut it down for...purposes. So anyways, Lance will have three chapters throughout this story. The next is the third chapter, and then the sixth chapter should be his third and final, but they'll be long and explain a lot, because Shance still has to happen! This one was more of an introductory chapter I guess, and I wasn't really planning on the lowkey Latte but it's there! Matt's a poor pining soul, what do you know...

  


11 MONTHS EARLIER. OCTOBER 8TH, 2016, 9:09 pm

 

Lance looked back over his shoulder when his uber driver peeled off down the street with screeching tires. Not even 7 seconds after he shut the door behind himself.

 

 _Okay. ._ . Guess it was a good thing this is where he wanted to be, at a bar. _Alone_ . He probably should have brought _someone_ with him, just in case he had to wait for another ride home while drunk or something. He looked up at the lit sign above the door, Five Lion’s Bar  & Lounge, and then he grabbed the handle to pull the hefty door open. He was impressed when he walked in, everything was surprisingly stylish and clean, and it wasn't too loud, even for a Saturday night like it was… Every other bar he had hit up in his little expedition had been crowded and awful, or just plain _filthy_ . All he wanted was a place to chill out and chat. Though, he realized there was a huge difference between a sports bar and a bar and lounge. A lounge like this was _much_ nicer. If only he would have picked a place like this first instead of wasting his time and money at other places.

 

He didn't do things like this very often, or at least he wasn’t supposed to, but he felt lonely after his girlfriend Plaxum moved away a month ago. He needed to get out, meet other people now that they weren’t dating anymore. She told him it was fine, and that she was already moving on too… He had a few other friends he could be hanging out with, like Hunk and Pidge, his best friend and his bitchy 19-year-old college student friend. Yeah, Pidge was cool, but she probably wasn’t in the mood to hang out anyway. She hardly ever was when she had studying to do. And there was a chance that Hunk was in bed already, because for whatever weird reason, Hunk liked going to bed early and maintaining a much healthier sleep schedule than he could ever have. He always slept too much or too little, there wasn’t an in-between for him.

 

He took a few steps inside, glancing around at the pale cream walls and dim yellow lighting that barely lit up the place. There were leafy green garlands decorating the shelves and the half wall over by the bar. It looked nice, not overly sophisticated or grungy, it was a good mix, and hopefully that meant whoever frequented this bar was just as interesting as the place was. He could breathe in here too. There must have been no smoking in the bar, which was a just an added plus so far.

 

“Hey, welcome to Five Lions,” A smooth voice from behind the bar had caught his attention- the person- a man, was talking to _him_.

 

 _Oh_ . Lance couldn't help but to smile back this strikingly handsome man. He was only mildly ashamed at how quickly this man’s sight caught his attention. The man had black hair, a crew cut, and a matching black forelock on his forehead. It was different than most hairstyles he’s seen on men around the city, but it looked nice on this man. And he _was_ a man. Noticeably older, but not old enough to be out of Lance’s eyesights. Not with those guns for arms and that noticeably well sculpted chest under his black shirt… Gees… Was that even legal? It shouldn’t have been. That kind of chest belonged in a strip club, not covered up or in such a clean lounge like this.

 

He knew his cheeks were pink when he strolled over to the bar and plopped down on a stool, as cool as he could pull off— which was pretty cool by the way- minus the obvious blush on his cheeks and ears from gawking at a pretty person _way_ longer than necessary... But now it was time to talk to that pretty person, or at least try to if he wasn’t as stuck up as he looked. “Hiya, I'm Lance. You must be the pretty bartender everyone in the city talks about,” He purred, faux-casually leaning on his wrist and holding his other hand out for this man.

 

The man glanced at his hand with his beautiful gray eyes— and was that eyeliner too? _Holy Shit_ — before he shook it firmly. _Damn_ … Lance wasn't sure what to make of that kind of grip or the feel of rough and warmer skin on his. He liked it, though, ultimately. Maybe a little more than he would ever want to admit. It was very different from his own smooth skin, but maybe that’s what made it feel so much better.

 

“Uh- I don’t know if I’m the one for sure, but okay… I'm Shiro. I haven't seen you here before,” The man, now certainly known as **_Shiro_ ** said, as he carefully looked him down and then back. “And you look pretty young… Can I see an ID, _Lance_?”

 

“Oh, sure.” He dug into his pockets for his wallet and took his ID out, showing it off to Shiro. Flashing him the same smile that he gave for his ID photo. “I'm 23, not 17 despite what the fresh face might make you want to believe.” He blinked with surprise and tried not to lean away when Shiro suddenly leaned closer and squinted at the date of birth. Sweet **_Jesus_ ** — Shiro was even prettier up close, even just at a glance. He couldn’t stare though, or he _shouldn’t_. … there was the warm blush on his face again… He coughed awkwardly when Shiro finally leaned back, and he quickly stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.

 

“So you are, _Lance Charles McClain_. What can I get you to drink?” Shiro asked, taking a step back, his smile returning. He gestured over to the liquor on the back wall behind him.

 

Gees… He couldn’t let that voice saying his name like that sink in for too long. It was bad enough his looks were attractive as hell, but he didn’t need to have that sexy voice too. Lance haunched over the counter slightly, chewing his lip in thought. Too bad it probably wasn’t customary to buy the bartender a drink… He could really try to be suave and hit Shiro up by buying him a drink had he not been the bartender. “Uh— Well, how about you surprise me? You look like you know your stuff Mr. Bartender Shino,” He did that on purpose. It was part of how he flirted, by picking on people, but in a light and fun way. He’d never do anything beyond light picking, and if anyone ever asked him to stop, he knew to draw the line there.

 

Shiro quirked a brow but he didn’t correct him, at least not this first time. Shiro pursed his lips and creased his brow for a moment thereafter. “You know you have to pay for whatever I make for you, right? I hope you don't hate it.” He grabbed a bottle of tequila off his shelf and a glass, and Lance smirked, shrugging.

 

“That’s fine, I have some money I can blow… I'm sure there are a few other things I could blow here too,” That was being straightforward— or actually, less than straight, but still…

 

Shiro’s lips pressed into a thin line and he shot Lance an unreadable look. “Oookay, so you're a flirter and a very bad one at that…” Shiro said with a disappointed sigh.

 

Well that comment was a little ego-shattering, but Lance was a forgiver and definitely not a quitter when it came to flirting. Sometimes he tried too hard, he knew that. He didn’t care though. He didn’t have much better to do, and it was better to flirt awfully like this before really getting to know someone than it was to do after getting to know them. At least he saw it that way. It was part of his rule of: _Make your attraction blatantly obvious and it either becomes something or goes away if that person doesn’t first._

 

He watched Shiro mix a cocktail up for him, his eyes following his hands before trailing up his forearms. He tried not to be too obvious when watching his biceps, looking at how the thin fabric over them was stretched just nicely. God bless that shirt was all Lance could think. It was plain and simple, but far too nice on a man like that. Not everyone could make a plain T look so good.

 

“So maybe that line wasn't my best...” He murmured, taking the glass when Shiro had handed it to him. He sniffed it before pressing his lips to it. It was grapefruit, and sprite, and tequila… a Paloma, nice. Something he even recognized. Maybe that was a bad thing considering it was alcohol, but he didn’t drink _that_ much. He just had a good memory or something like that, but he definitely didn’t have a drinking problem.

 

Shiro watched him and quirked a brow as he took his first sip. “How is it?”

 

Lance nodded after he finished his sip and he set his glass down in front of him. “It’s perfect,” He said and winked at Shiro. “How'd you know Paloma was my favorite drink?”

 

Shiro rolled his eyes, it wasn't with any malice though, tell-tell by the little small grin on his face along with it. “I didn't, but I'm glad it's good enough for you. I would hate for you to get mad had I made something you didn't like. I don’t want to lose a new customer already.”

 

“I was the one who asked you to surprise me, I don't get mad over stuff I encourage.” Lance said. He hummed and played with the tiny mixing straw in his drink, glancing up at Shiro again. “We’ll see how you do with the next one, I like surprises.”

 

“Oh, is that right?” Shiro asked. He leaned back against the rack behind him with his arms folded over his chest.

 

“Well, it’s a way for me to try things on the menu that I probably wouldn’t pick otherwise. Who knows, you might be the one to introduce me to my new favorite drink, making me remember you and your notable effort forever!” He grinned at Shiro and took another sip.

 

“Suuure.” Shiro drawled, the small grin pulling at the corner of his perfect lips again. He didn’t stay there in front of him for long enough after that. He moved from around the bar to see about his other customers, ones he probably chatted with more than Lance.

 

Lance just hummed quietly to himself.. He pouted when Shiro had walked off, though. Mildly. Now who was he going to talk to... He had hardly noticed anyone else here at all. He was too caught up trying to sweet talk with the hottie bartender to notice… He glanced down the bar at the other people surrounding it to his left. A woman caught his eye- or rather he must have caught her eye, as she was watching him, along with a man behind her, who whispered something in her ear that made her nod her head. The man behind her had awfully white hair, in contrast to her shiny black hair, but he didn't look much older than Shiro did to him. The eyes and shared whisper between the couple got Lance feeling like they said something about him. He suddenly and very self-consciously glanced down at himself.

 

Nothing was out of the norm. His packer was tucked neatly into his jeans, and it didn’t make him look like he had a hard on or anything- just a normal lump, but still, he felt uneasy with their eyes so heavily trained on him. They looked like hunting dogs staring at him like that, and they just wouldn’t seem to stop looking at him. At one point he just wished one of them would get up and come over to talk to him already, just to say whatever was on their mind so he didn’t have to wonder about it. But they didn’t. Even after a few minutes had passed.

 

The woman laughed, it was quiet enough that he didn’t actually hear it, but he saw it. She had turned herself just enough so she could face the man behind her. He was smiling at whatever she had said that made them both laugh.

 

He looked away then. He was…just over thinking this… They couldn’t have been talking about him and then laughing about him… He didn’t do anything, and he looked… Fine. He… _Passed._ He did, but now he had to remind himself that he did for the first time in a while. Was it that, maybe?

 

 _Ugh—_ No. He turned until he was facing the opposite way again, and drank some more of his Paloma. Maybe they wanted a three-way with him? Yeah- That sounded waaaay more realistic, way more nerve-settling to him. He was bisexual as fuck and greatly appreciated both genders, but when he glanced at them again, he was just…intimidated by them. He wasn’t really looking to swing with a couple that looked like they could murder him and get away with it if they wanted. They were just way out of his league, and too mysterious for him. That’s when he decided he would politely decline if they _did_ happen to ask. But he didn’t know if that’s what they were even thinking anyway. It was just a thought.

 

He glanced around for Shiro, frowning when he saw Shiro was across the room happily chatting with a couple of other customers. He felt really awkward all of a sudden sitting alone here, but he didn’t want to just get up and sit by _anyone._ He probably could have, but he just _couldn’t_. For the moment, doing something like that just seemed weird to him, though he’s done it plenty of times before in plenty of other places.

 

 _Well_ , damn it… Guess he’d have to find some way to get his bartender’s attention again. He _really_ wanted _his_ attention; pathetically… He opted to guzzle the rest of his drink, clinking the glass after he was done to get Shiro’s attention again. He put a faux smug grin on his face when Shiro’s eyes cut over to him and he walked over.

 

“Something else I can get you?” Shiro asked. He didn’t step as close as Lance would have liked him to.

 

“Why don’t you surprise me again?” Lance purred, resting his chin on top of his folded hands. He batted his eyes at Shiro, “You impressed me the first time, I’m sure you’ll do it again,”

 

Shiro reached for the empty glass beside him. “Sure,”

 

Lance’s grin faded when Shiro had turned away and he hadn't said anything more than that. “Sooooo, Shiro, how long have you been doing this? You seem to know your stuff around here. Is this your bar?”

 

“Yeah, it is. And I do… Or at least it feels like I know my stuff here.” Shiro said. “I've been bartending for a while, on and off, until I got my own place. It's more fun once you own the bar and can cut up with your regulars and relax too.”

 

Lance hummed. “You really enjoy it,”

 

Shiro nodded and smiled to himself, mixing another drink. This time it had whiskey and...lemon? Lance refused to make a face at that since he was the one that asked for a surprise, but he didn't really like whiskey too much. “I do. It's really casual and laid back. My boyfriend doesn't care too much for the bar, but he still encourages me to do what I love here.”

 

Lance blinked. Boyfriend? Well it was great to have it confirmed that Shiro here was Bisexual or gay, or something obtainable, but he was already taken… Lance sighed internally, of course a good looking man that caught his eye was taken. There was that brief five-minute fantasy gone, but that was okay... He still wanted to get to know Shiro. He seemed like a pretty decent guy to get to know and hang out with.

 

“Oh, Nice,” Lance retorted, biting his lip when Shiro slid the whiskey and lemon drink over to him. _Ugh_. He didn't want to say anything about not liking Whiskey, but just looking at it made his throat burn.

 

“Drink up, it's one of my boyfriend’s favorites, a lemon whiskey sling.” Shiro grinned.

 

 _Ughhhh_ ,

 

“Thaaaanks…” Lance drawled before picking it up to take a sip. That was an immediate _Nope_ . He hated this, but he wasn't gonna hurt the man's feelings or admit defeat or whatever.  He swallowed it, almost regretfully when it made him cough. “It's… _soooo…_ So _that._ A-And soooo good…Thanksss,” Lance lied, grinning twice as wide. _Your boyfriend has awful taste,_ Lance thought, chuckling at his own mental image of Shiro’s boyfriend.

 

If he had to guess, Shiro’s boyfriend was the polar opposite of him- because opposites attract or something like that. He was probably short, with dirty blonde hair maybe, and a bland as hell style. He probably drank whiskey and lemon like this every day of the week and bitched about work, probably an office job. Came home to his bartender boyfriend only to get him drunk. That’s what he would believe about this boyfriend until he was told otherwise. Kind of how you made a mental image of a character from a book, and only became disappointed in who would play their role in a live action movie because it was so different than the image you had made up…

 

Shiro tilted his head slightly, a small grin pulling at the corners of his lips. “Are you sure? Your face looks a little sour there…”

 

“Okay, so you didn't nail this one, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings because it isn’t you, I just don’t care for whiskey. Next time, let's stick with something fruity please.” Lance said, swirling the drink in the glass before handing it back to Shiro. There was no way he was going to finish that, even if he still had to pay for it.

 

“Alright, I’ll try to remember that,"

 

___

 

OCTOBER 13TH, 2016. 7:21pm.

 

He didn’t know what he was thinking at first. He wasn’t sure last week when he said _Next Time_ , but here he was, outside of the Five Lion’s bar again. But he was just unable to shake the feeling of wanting to get to know Shiro for real. Little by little, he knew he would, so that’s why he was here again. He opened the door and went inside, revisiting the clean and dim lit bar for the second time. It was a Thursday, but that didn’t seem to deter anyone from coming to the bar this evening to wind down from their exhausting lives.

 

Lance didn’t really have an exhausting life, not entirely. He had a job, but he stayed out of school after his first year in college, so anytime after work he was virtually free, and he liked that most days. Some days it left him bored, though, especially after Plax moved away, but that’s why he was _here._ This was a cure to his boredom.

 

Shiro’s head perked up and he looked almost surprised to see him. “Hey there, stranger.”

 

“Aww, you forgot my name already? After only a week?” Lance put on a big pouty face and walked over to the bar, sitting at the closest spot available, the one all the way at the end of the bar, and farthest from the half wall on the other end. The other end of the bar looked lonely, despite the few customers that had seemed to gravitate closer to that corner. No one sat at that very end, though. Shiro walked over, putting a towel over his shoulder.

 

“It’s Chance, right?” Shiro was obviously teasing, but his smile gave him away.

 

“Honestly, I pity any man with that name, I’m glad it’s not mine.” Lance said

 

“What’s so bad about the name Chance?” Shiro chuckled. “Anyway, It’s nice to see you come back already, Lance.” Shiro genuinely smiled, it was way softer than it should have been for him- but Lance was truly in awe. A smile should have never been so… welcoming and comforting, and Lance didn’t know what else, but it was… _Nice._ Just as they had left it the first night he was here. They chatted for a few hours that night, until almost 12 am when Lance decided to go home. He didn’t like staying out entirely late, and 12 was around his limit. Shiro had been fun to talk to though, charming and he had a lot to say, and a lot of funny stories about other patrons he got around here. He was 33 if Lance caught that right the other day. He was pretty sure he did, since Shiro had seemed to stick in his head the whole week after. He replayed that whole night over and over in his head the whole week, and that’s what led him here again finally.

 

“Yeah, of course. I still have more drinks to try. I hope you started making a mental list of everything you made me so far-”

 

“You’re _really_ doing that?” Shiro chuckled. “Yeah, I think I remember the three drinks I made you… I know for sure you said you didn’t like the sling…”

 

Lance stuck his tongue out in mild disgust. “No, no whiskey for me. Maybe I’ll grow into it.”

 

“True, you are so young...” Shiro said, before adding, “Keith isn’t much older than you, and I know he can down some whiskey if you let him.” Shiro just laughed to himself.

 

“Keith?”

 

“My boyfriend.” Shiro replied.

 

Lance made a soft ‘O’ with his lips. He forgot about the already-having-a-boyfriend thing.

 

“Anyway, are you sure you don’t want anything in particular?”

 

“Surprise me, but keep it fruity and sweet.”

 

Shiro nodded and chewed his lip in thought for a moment. “Allll-right. I can do that. Just sit tight.” Shiro said and reached for a footed glass hanging above the bar.

 

“No worries, my ass is firmly planted right here.” Lance said, giving a thumbs up to him. They grinned at each other and Shiro went straight to work, opening his deep freezer behind the bar to grab some ice and frozen fruit. Lance watched him blend the ice and fruit, and some peach schnapps. He poured grenadine into the empty glass before the mixture itself, and then put a pineapple slice and cherry on top, with a pretty blue straw. He was quick with his work, but Lance guessed that was because Shiro really did know his stuff. He didn’t have to think about it.

 

Shiro lightly pushed the glass closer to him on the bar top, a smile on his face like he was pleased with his work. It looked good and smelled delicious, but Lance couldn’t say he knew what it was called.

 

He plucked the cherry off the top and ate it before taking a sip. It was very sweet and fruity, but he liked it a lot. He hummed and sat the glass down gently. “Wow, It’s like you know my taste buds personally.” Lance teased. “It’s very good, it might even be a new favorite. What’s it called?”

 

Shiro clapped a hand on his chest, seeming to take the compliment to heart. “Why thank you, It’s a _Kiss On The Lips._  I like to call it Sex On The Beach’s sister.” Shiro chuckled.

 

Lance grinned mischievously and leaned in on his arms. “Wait wait wait, hold up… Are you flirting with me through cocktail names, Shiro?”

 

“Uhm, _No…_ You can keep dreaming that, though,” Shiro said before he patted Lance on the shoulder and walked over to one of the tables across from the bar to tend to a customer’s glass when they flagged him, his back to Lance. “I would be careful with how much you try to flirt with me, my boyfriend is a special agent.” Shiro said to him, but his voice sounded very light and playful, hardly serious at all.

 

Lance slid around clockwise on his seat to watch Shiro and he raised a brow. “Is that supposed to scare me?”

 

Shiro simply shrugged, his darn back still turned to him, but Lance was all too sure this man had a smile on his face. He seemed to be that kind of character, and Lance liked it. “I don’t know, I was hoping it would.” Shiro said.

 

“You probably just say that… Who’s to say this boyfriend of yours is even real?” Lance could only wish that was the case, but that would have just been too good to be true.

 

“You might see him sometime, he usually comes to pick me up at night after work.”

 

“Aww, how sweet…” Lance jested.

 

Shiro walked back over casually, and sure enough, he did have a smile on his face just as Lance thought he did. And that smile was _painfully_ alluring on that handsome face.

 

“He is. What about you? Don’t have a partner?” Shiro asked.

 

“If I did, would I be flirting with you?” Lance rolled his eyes and sighed. He could have leaned back right now if the stool had a back, but it didn’t, so he was mindful not to lean back and lose his balance.

 

“I don’t know, I don’t believe that always stop someone from flirting with other people…” Shiro said blatantly.

 

“… No, I don’t have a partner currently…” Lance pressed his lips into a thin line and looked down. “My girlfriend moved away and we just agreed to start seeing other people after that, I guess.” He missed Plax, but she moved 1900 miles away to California, and now he was single and lonely, honestly... He hated the word _Lonely_ as much as he hated the feeling, and he tried to convince himself that he wasn’t. He had friends. He wasn’t lonely, or he shouldn’t have felt like he was.

 

“Oh… That’s rough…” Shiro said quietly.

 

Lance sighed. “Yeah but it’s fine. We weren’t on bad terms or anything.”

 

“Why did she move?”

 

Lance frowned. “Uhm… She needed a different pace of life, I guess. I don’t really know the full reason. I don’t think she’s told me…”

 

Shiro just raised a brow, but he didn’t comment on that. Lance was a little grateful that he didn’t, because he knew what it sounded like too. He just… tried not to think of it like that. He wished he would have moved to somewhere better than here too, but for some reason he stuck himself here, in the muddy city of New Orleans. Don’t know why he did, but at first he really liked it. There was a lot of culture, and friendly people with funny accents. There was even a chance for fame here, big time or just locally, since the city had all the arts, and it was also _Hollywood South._ That hasn’t happened yet. Lance wasn’t sure if it would, even if he did try harder, but he did other things in the meantime.

 

Lance sighed again and took a big gulp of his drink, mildly regretting it after the sting of the cold that gave him a brain freeze. “Good terms, though…” he said quietly, hoping it wasn’t too late after the topic.

 

“What about you, Lance? Are you from here or did you move here from someplace else?” Shiro asked him, turning the conversation into something Lance was a little more comfortable with.

 

“No, God no. Does it look like I’m from around here? I’m from Cuba. I moved here thinking it would have been a nice and fun change,” Lance started, and Shiro cut in

 

“It hasn’t been?”

 

“I still don’t know yet…”

 

Shiro leaned his hip against his bar, he looked like he would stay and chat with him for awhile, and Lance was happy to see that. “How long have you been here? I’m not from here either…”

 

“Oh? I didn’t think so, you didn’t seem Cajun enough like the rest of them…” Lance laughed. “I’ve been here for three years now, by myself. I miss my family and home, but I don’t know… I guess this is my home for now.” He sighed.

 

“Couldn’t you go back home if you wanted?” Shiro tilted his head slightly when he asked, his gray eyes narrow.

 

Lance pursed his lips and shook his head. “I miss home, but I don’t want to stay there forever, y’know?”

 

Shiro nodded. “I get it I guess… Trying to do your own thing and find who you are?”

 

“Yeah, a little something like that. I have no idea why I moved _here_ , though. _Ugh..._ ” He could only groan. He really wished he would have gone somewhere else- anywhere else. Why a dirty city like this? If he could ask himself before the move now, he would have. _“_ Why did you come here?” Lance asked him. He was hoping Shiro would just talk about himself now. He wanted to know more about Shiro, and think less about what got him here.

 

“My boyfriend had a job opportunity here, and I moved with him.” Shiro kept it simple, very. Way more short and simple than Lance was hoping for, and he wasn’t sure what to make of the answer; not with how his own relationship situation that just happened… Could he have moved with Plaxum? Financially, no, but romantically? He didn’t see a reason why he wouldn’t have for her… But he didn’t even think about it. Not even once. He was okay with her moving, and he supported her decision, but maybe if he really did love her, he would have followed her like Shiro followed his boyfriend… _That_ was commitment.

 

“Wow, seems kind of romantic you would move just to be with your partner…” Lance muttered.

 

Shiro’s cheeks then turned a light shade of pink and he shrugged meekly. “Yeah, well, I guess that’s just what you do when you’ve been with someone for so long. It’s the commitment and adoration part of the relationship.”

 

Lance crinkled his nose. Was that really what it took? He supposed so, but he can’t say he and Plax had _all_ of that. They didn’t have the time together like that, just a few months, but Lance did love her. Still did, but he was okay with this. “How long have you two been together? He must be real cute or reeeeal old and rich…”

 

Shiro raised a brow. “I guess if almost twenty-seven is considered old? But if that’s old, that would probably make me ancient, huh?” Shiro grinned at him.

 

Lance groaned. “Not what I meant, ugh,”

 

Shiro just hummed before continuing, “Well, we’ve been together for five years officially, to answer your question…” Shiro gave a small kind smile and gestured his head over to the wall behind the bar, where there was a picture of he and another person, presumably this Keith guy. Shiro was kissing this person’s cheek in the picture, with a big smile on both of their faces. He could hardly see the other man’s eyes underneath a heap of wavy shaggy black hair, but his smile was cute, Lance thought… He suddenly craved a feeling like that, the love and happiness he saw in that one small picture on the wall… So Shiro’s boyfriend was real after all, he guessed. And _not_ old at all. Not that he thought twenty-seven was old, but he wasn’t so sure how much he believed Shiro about his boyfriend. What they had seemed too good to be true for anybody.

 

“Cute…” Lance said quietly, and after a moment longer he finally glanced away from the wall. He didn’t want to see that picture anymore. “So officially, huh? I assume that means you two have a pretty good history or something?”

 

Shiro nodded. “Yeah. Pretty good history… Kind of. Something like that.” Shiro didn’t seem to actually know what to say about that, and it made Lance perk a brow up and glance back at him while he poked at his frozen drink with the straw.

 

“I’m kind of interested in what that means…” Lance queried.

 

Shiro paused, his cheeks flushing and he shifted on his feet. “Oh… Uh… I don’t want to bore you with our story…”

 

“No, go on,” Lance encouraged, though he probably didn’t seem so enthusiastic about it on the outside. He was curious though, truly. There must have been something interesting about this,

 

Shiro pursed his lips then shrugged. He looked comfortable again standing there after Lance told him to go on. “Keith’s had a pretty hard past. I met him when he was fifteen. He had run away from one of those homes for boys in Arizona, where we’re from, and I was working at some stupid gas station he happened to stumble into on one of his runaway days. He was really young, and he did dumb shit, always getting into trouble but I became his friend anyway. We just ended up growing really close… If he didn’t sneak out to see me, then I went to the home to visit him. It was just like that for a while, always seeing each other and enjoying each others company…” Shiro smiled reminiscently at the floor before frowning. “…and then he tried committing suicide when he was sixteen…and I was the only one there at the hospital praying for him and waiting to be by his side. I was so worried I would lose someone I couldn’t even begin to label. I didn’t know what it felt like to have a soulmate at the time, but I’ve never been more sure that that’s what he is to me now...” Shiro said sternly. “But anyway, I was twenty-three at the time he tried ending his life, and I was able to get him out of the home after that and he was able to live with me legally until he was eighteen... He stayed after all that, though… I’ve never been happier to have met someone like Keith and share what I have with him.”

 

Lance blinked and tilted his head down. _Oh…_ That’s… A long history to have shared with someone. No wonder Shiro seemed so in love whenever he spoke of _Keith_. He was.

 

And Lance was jealous of that.

 

Not of Keith… At least not right now, but of the love two people like Shiro and Keith could have and share with one another. He craved that too; deep down inside. He would never get that kind of story though, and he knew it. He just forced himself to smile for Shiro. “That’s…really sweet, Shiro,”

 

Shiro blushed and coughed. “I guess… I don’t know what brought us together. To me it just kind of happened by chance, but I wouldn’t go back and change it. Life would be too different without him.”

 

Lance felt himself sigh, and he hoped it was quiet. He wanted someone to feel about him the way Shiro felt for Keith… He really did.

 

___

 

OCTOBER 30TH, 2016.

 

Lance buttoned up the last button on his vest and threw on his blue costume coat over it, turning from side to side to see himself in the mirror. He was a prince, with a dark gray vest underneath a royal blue coat and tan trousers, dark brown knee-top boots to top it off. It looked nice on him.

 

It was the day before Halloween and Shiro had told him Friday that he should dress up and show up at the bar, so here he was, getting ready. Lance liked the concept of Halloween for the most part, he liked dressing up and mingling with others in a fun environment, so he was fairly excited for this, especially since it seemed like it would be best at Shiro’s bar. Shiro said his bar would be decorated and all the drinks he would be mixing tonight would be themed, something Lance was curious to see.

 

He fumbled awkwardly with his hair, trying to decide whether or not he should style it back or leave it, but he just decided to leave it. He didn’t work so hard to get soft smooth hair just to slick it back with sticky gel, no. Not for this. He grabbed his phone off the dresser and checked the time. It was 7:30 right now, he could probably get an uber and head over now. He was anxious to see Shiro. He found himself starting to feel that way recently, and visited the bar a few more times this week than the last. He and Shiro had good conversation, and Shiro was good company. The bar was too. Especially since he learned Pidge’s brother, Matt, worked there on the weekends. He had no idea until Friday. It was nice to see a familiar face in the bar.

 

He got there at 7:50 after hailing an uber, what he normally did to get here. He didn’t have a car anyway, and he knew better than to drink and drive if he did. Hunk was his emergency contact, though he tried not to rely on Hunk after a certain time, but he was still there if he needed him. He walked up to the door and paused before grabbing the handle when he noticed the fake severed hand sticking out from the door. He tried not to laugh. Now he could only imagine what was inside. He finally pulled the door open and stepped in, noticing immediately how the normal yellowish lighting was replaced with a fluorescent purple glow, and black streamers hanging obnoxiously from the ceiling. He felt almost like he had to duck under them through the door, but the further he got in the less they got. The music was different too, instead of the normal smoother music, it sounded a lot like it was the Birthday Massacre’s _I Think We’re Alone Now._ Wow.

 

Shiro went all out, really. This was crazy different than what he had associated the lounge with. There were bats and cats, and people dressed up in crazy costumes. He wasn’t sure he would find Shiro immediately like he usually did in the crowd and lighting. Everything looked so different. The bar was much more crowded today and less relaxing, but he was fine with it. He expected it since it was a Halloween party in the city. He could fit in well with any crowd, at least he believed that, but he could tell this wasn’t the normal crowd that came to the bar.

 

Red-haired Matt walked past him with a tray of bright green drinks, stopping very abruptly when he saw Lance out of the corner of his eye and nearly spilling the tray in his hands. He was dressed as a bunny— and not just any bunny, a pink fuzzy bunny. The only thing he didn’t have was the horrendous head, but he opted for a headband with the ears to go with the suit. It was probably easier to breathe. “Hey! How’s it going, prince charming?” Matt said, casting a glance down Lance to be sure that’s what his costume was. He smiled brightly at Lance. Matt was a good person. Sweet, and a little awkward, but they got along okay.

 

Lance grinned and soothed a hand down his front, in a fashion he believed a sophisticated prince would. “Great. You look ridiculous. What are you supposed to be? Donnie Darko’s bunnyman, but pink? Those fuzzy paws are mortifying alone.” Lance jested.

 

Matt rolled his eyes and set the tray down on a table near them when he nearly tipped the whole tray for the second time. “Ha Ha, Lance. Shiro told me to dress up, and I happened to have my dad’s bunny suit from easter 10 years ago. I ditched the head for the headband, though.”

 

“I’m mildly concerned as to why you had a 10 year old bunny suit hanging around your house… Anyway, where’s Shiro?” Lance asked, peeking around Matt to scan around the bar. There were a lot of people surrounding it though, and hollering, too.

 

Matt coughed and leaned into Lance’s view slightly. “He’s around the bar… Can’t wait to see him, can you?”

 

Lance narrowed his eyes and pouted. “ _Yeah_ , maybe. What’s your point?”

 

Matt rolled his eyes in clear aggravation, and Lance was taken aback by it. What did he do to deserve _that_ look?

 

“ **_Nothing_ ** _, Lance_ …” Matt said and he swooped his tray back up before sauntering off into the crowd quickly, leaving Lance.

 

Lance just blinked and looked back over at the crowded bar area. There were so many people crowded over there, mostly women. Usually he’d be thrilled to squeeze a spot between a bunch of girls, but he wasn’t thinking of them; it was more of what they could have been surrounding and so excited over. He didn’t have to guess for long before he ended up walking over to the bar, squeezing through a few people to see who or what was behind the bar grabbing their attention like so. Of course, it was Shiro, but it was what he was wearing that had everyone oohing and ogling. Lance even blushed- quite a lot upon seeing Shiro dressed up in something so…? Wildly different than what he expected of _Shiro_ —  

 

He slapped a hand over his own face, feeling way more flustered than he should have over this. Of course Shiro was attractive, this might have just made him even more so, but at what price? This was just unfair because Shiro was already taken. No one could get their hands on him, and Lance was one of the unlucky ones that couldn’t, but wanted to. Shiro was a tease. Even before this dumb…costume? “ **_Jesus_ ** , _Shiro?!_ ” He squeaked out, forcing his hand off his own face. Hopefully the purple lighting would make it less obvious that he was red faced. Shiro was dressed in shiny black spandex that was skin tight and zipped up the front. It had a pretty high neck and short sleeves, and he couldn’t see the lower half, but he could just imagine every detail of muscle and whatnot the skintight suit gave away. He didn’t know if he’d be able to take it. Shiro also had a pair of black and white cat ears on his head, and a red leather collar with a big obvious bell in the front, and he had a cute little black dot painted on his nose and whiskers.

 

 _Jesus Christ—_  How was he even supposed to believe this was _actually_ Shiro? In what world was this actually real and okay?

 

“Lance? Hey! You’re just in time for a shot. Want one?” Shiro moved closer, and when he did, the people around Lance had also moved closer to him. He almost felt like he was being crushed between two bodies on either side of him.

 

Lance grimaced slightly and shouldered himself out from the middle as much as he could, leaning his elbows far up onto the bar to get mostly away from them. If he could, he’d climb over the bar, but Shiro probably wouldn’t like that. “I can’t believe you are wearing something so- uh- _that._ Does your boyfriend let you do this? Or is this just a special occasion?” he asked, almost incredulously. His wide eyes were obviously drinking in the sight before him.

 

Shiro blinked then nodded his head. “Yeah, it’s a bit much, but it’s fun. And don’t worry, Keith knows. He’ll be the one undressing me out of this tonight. Now, do you want a Black Widow shot or not?”

 

Lance’s cheeks felt ten times hotter now. The idea of someone lucky enough to undress _Shiro_ out of such a thing and getting to ravish him afterwards just seemed completely unfair to him. Shiro seemed like something that should be shared, and not kept to one person, but he had to keep that single thought to himself. He didn’t even know Shiro’s boyfriend, and he didn’t even know if Shiro was possibly into that kind of thing anyway… It didn’t seem like he was. He looked back up at Shiro’s gray eyes and nodded. “Sure, shots sound fun, kitten.”

 

Shiro grinned and set a glass in front of him, pouring in black vodka and cranberry juice. “It’s all yours. What are you supposed to be?” Shiro asked, watching Lance. He couldn’t see Lance’s entire getup either, so he probably couldn’t tell what he was supposed to be since it wasn’t even elaborate to begin with.

 

“I’m prince charming, or at least better than him and in blue.” Lance winked and picked up the shot glass and knocked it back in one go. It had a pretty good flavor, and it didn’t burn much. He could probably have a few more before he got wasted, so he set down the glass and nudged it back to Shiro.

 

“Prince charming, huh? You know, I was almost expecting you to dress up in something else,”

 

“Like what?” Lance asked, watching as Shiro made him his second shot.

 

“Well you’re really flirty, so I thought you would have dressed a little more… Uh— Nevermind, that’s just me stereotyping- I had a few shots myself.” Shiro rambled, shaking his head once and gently pushing the newly filled glass back to Lance.

 

Lance raised a brow, grinning slightly. “And I wasn’t expecting you to dress in something so slutty, so I think we’re even…” Lance muttered, drinking his next shot. “So you get to drink while working after all…”

 

Shiro hummed. “On special occasions. It’s a Halloween party, so I figured why not. I know my limit, and my own prince charming will be walking through the doors soon. He keeps me in line if I ever step out.”

 

“Keith?” Lance asked and Shiro nodded.

 

“Yeah, my Keith.”

 

Matt walked over behind the bar and stopped beside Shiro. “I knew it wouldn’t take you long to find him, Lance.” Matt forced a grin and elbowed Shiro in the back lightly before putting it on his shoulder. “Were you expecting _this_?”

 

Shiro’s cheeks turned red. “Matt has been teasing me about this since he got here,” Shiro sighed.

 

“It sure is something… I don’t think I could have expected this from _Shiro_ , though.” Lance admitted truthfully, and he chuckled.

 

“Me neither. Keith must be _reeeeally_ kinky too if he allowed this, huh, Shiro?” Matt teased, leaning on Shiro all too casually, but Shiro didn’t seem to mind.

 

Shiro shrugged. “Keith doesn’t care as long as no one else touches me. I wouldn’t let anyone else touch me and he knows that.”

 

Matt hummed. “You didn’t say he’s not kinky, though. Are you two into pet play? Are you his little bitch?” Matt went on with the teasing, grinning cheekily as Shiro’s cheeks just kept burning red.

 

“Oh my god, **_Matt_ ** ,” Lance was the one blushing for Shiro now. That idea just seemed so far out of character, he could hardly imagine what Matt was trying to put in their heads, but he guessed he really had no idea what Shiro’s sex life could have been like, Shiro didn’t really talk about anything like that. But Shiro being into kinky things like this with the suit and collar? He could hardly believe it.

 

Shiro coughed slightly and brushed Matt off his shoulder. “You’ve had enough to drink already too, haven’t you, Matthew? Your sister is going to be ticked off with you, and she’ll blame me if you go home drunk.”

 

Matt simply waved off the comment and straightened up. “Katie will forgive me, it’s not like I’m driving home. That’s what she really hates.” Matt retorted then said, “I need another tray of drinks to serve, Shiro. Could we get on that? I have a table waiting,”

 

Shiro sighed through his nose and shared a glance with Lance, the _oh no, Matt’s drunk_ look. It might be the first time they’ve ever shared that look together, but that’s what it was.

 

Everyone that knew Matt knew he was kind of a dick when he got drunk, and that’s because Pidge— _Katie,_ would make sure that everyone knew that about him as some kind of precautionary he guessed. He learned that after the first week of knowing the Holt siblings. _Beware of drunk Matt._

 

Lance waved a hand out at them when they started to squabble at each other. “Hey, Matt had some weird green drinks earlier, could you make that for me, Shiro? Pretty please?” Lance batted his eyes and smiled at him super prettily.

 

Shiro glanced at him again and nodded before grabbing glasses to make new drinks. “Sure. It was our poison apple cocktail. It’s a little sour,”

 

Lance hummed and sat at a stool after managing to snag one from someone else, bouncing his leg patiently as he watched Shiro and Matt behind the counter. “It’s fine, it looked pretty good.”

 

“It was,” Matt agreed and Shiro cut him a look. “What? The table said I could.”

 

“Sure, but you do realize we aren’t supposed to be accepting drinks from customers, right?” Shiro asked. “And I said you can drink today, but not too excessively because if you black out on the clock I’m going to dock your pay for this evening.”

 

Matt made a face but he made an OK sign with his hand after. “Gotcha, Boss. No more drinks.”

 

Shiro sent Matt off with his next tray of drinks before he made Lance’s, and he slid it over to him carefully in its tall glass. “I guess sometimes I should think twice about which of my employees I let drink on the job.”

 

Lance nodded with a smile and took his glass, raising it up and tipping it to Shiro before taking a sip. He made a slight face, only because it was so sour. It was like drinking a fucking warhead candy, but it was still good enough to finish— just at a slow pace. He hummed. “I still think it’s cool how we both know Matt… I mean, I only know of him because of his sister, but still. What are the odds of that?”

 

Shiro smiled back at him kindly. “Yeah. It’s a small world. He’s not how you found the bar, is he?”

 

“Nope. I mean I heard him mention a bar before, but I didn’t know it was this one he worked at until I saw him here last Friday. I found this place on Google maps like everyone else! … After visiting a dozen other bars for poor social interaction.” Lance said, smiling again. “This one isn’t so poor though, that’s why I haven’t ditched this place yet.”

 

“I’m touched.” Shiro snickered. “I’m glad I get to see a friendly face like yours frequently, though. That’s what I opened my own bar for.”

 

“Aww, that’s so sweet Takashi.” Lance crooned, and Shiro blushed.

 

“Okay okay, enough flattery, Lance…” Shiro said bashfully, rubbing at his neck shyly. “What should I mix up next? _Morgue-a-ritas_ or liquefied ghost cocktails?”

 

“ _Oh my god._ ”

___

  


It was 10:30 now, and he had far more to drink than he should have. Starting with those two shots, and ending with a very special bourbon milkshake that Shiro had made a batch of for nearly every person in the bar. It was sweet and filling, and thankfully didn’t have as much alcohol as everything else he had tonight did, so it helped him fight the _total_ drunkenness off, at least until it all gave him a hangover in the morning. The crowd didn’t die down at all yet, they were still around, but more scattered about now. He was sitting in a booth with Matt, combing his fingers through red locks as Matt was passed out in his lap.

 

Matt did drink more, and got in trouble with Shiro. It sounded like they had a pretty heated argument earlier, but Shiro stayed calm the whole time of course. Lance didn’t think he would raise his voice at anyone, especially a vulnerable friend like Matt. Shiro wouldn’t say what they argued about, just that it was stupid and Matt was drunk and needed to go home... Matt hadn’t gone home though after he got sick in the bathroom, throwing up already, and now he was taking care of Matt all the while regretting how much he drank himself too, but at least he hadn’t thrown up or passed out like Matt had. Matt had really drank more than he should have, but hopefully this was a lesson learned for him. Lance was texting back and forth with Pidge, letting her know what happened. He told her he could take Matt back to his place for the night, that way two drunk idiots could sleep it off in one tiny apartment, and Pidge wouldn’t have to deal with him. He knew she would appreciate the offer to take drunk ass Matt off her hands.

 

She said that was okay with her if it was okay with him and Matt both. He pat Matt on the cheek until his eyes fluttered open and he looked up at him blearily, brown eyes bloodshot.

 

“What?..” Matt groaned.

 

Lance smiled down at him softly. “You’re passed out drunk in my lap, that’s what… Pidgey said you should go to my apartment with me tonight, is that alright?”

 

Matt’s cheeks flushed and he nodded, laying his head back down to the side in Lance’s lap. “Sssure… She mad?”

 

Lance continued with petting his fingers through Matt’s hair soothingly, careful of any tangles in Matt’s hair. “Only a little bit. She wants you to sober up before going home, otherwise she said she might punch you in the face.”

 

They both laughed and then Matt pressed his face into Lance’s shirt. It was a little uncomfortable, but Lance let it slide. “I… I keep le-letting her down…”  

 

Lance was surprised he still heard him since he was muffled, but he wasn’t sure what to say… Whatever he did say, Matt probably wouldn’t remember it in the morning anyway… He frowned to himself. “Don’t worry about that right now… I’m gonna get us an uber okay? You’ll have to pay me back in the morning so just think about that…” He picked his phone up again and contacted an uber to get them back home safely. They had to wait a few more minutes, though.

 

Matt stayed quiet in his lap, his eyes falling shut, despite the music and noise from the other people around the bar.

 

Lance could see Shiro over at the bar now at least, since the crowd around him had dissipated a while ago. From what Lance could tell, Shiro’s partner was here from the looks of it. He didn’t know when Keith came in since he drifted away from the bar. He wasn’t even sure it was really Keith, he was only assuming it was by how close they stood together and the kisses they would pepper on each other’s faces, and how intimately they held one another. He could only see the back of this person’s head, but the hair looked like the one from the picture on the wall… Long, Black, and wavy. He didn’t look like he had dressed up from what Lance could see either, or at least the costume wasn’t obvious if there was one on this stranger. Shiro had kissed this person again, his strong hands cupping this person’s jaw with a defined tenderness. Lance almost felt like he shouldn’t have been looking, but he couldn’t help it. He felt the spark of jealousy tinge in his gut, and he finally forced his eyes away, training them on Matt’s hair for what felt like ages before he peeked back up again. He couldn’t help himself from taking another peek at Shiro and his partner…

 

Shiro eyes met with his from across the bar, and Shiro excused himself from his partner to walk over.

 

Lance straightened up immediately and recoiled his hand away from Matt’s messy red hair.

 

“Hey. I was wondering where the two of you went… You okay there, Matt?..” He looked and sounded genuinely concerned. Guess he wasn’t too mad at Matt for earlier…

 

Matt just nodded and gave an “Mhm.”

 

Lance chewed his lip lightly and looked up at Shiro. “I called an uber. I’m gonna take him home with me and take care of him for the night, as requested by Pidge…”

 

Shiro blinked and nodded his head softly. “Oh… Are you sure you can handle him by yourself?” There seemed to be more concern in his voice now, like he thought that was a bad idea, but didn’t want to say it directly.

 

“Yeah… I’m a lil drunk myself, but I think I can handle this and him…” Lance said quietly, glancing down at Matt.

 

Shiro sighed and shifted to one side, glancing away from them for a moment. “Alright... Be safe out there tonight, and tomorrow if you go trick-or-treating…” Shiro smiled slightly.

 

Lance hummed. “Yeah, I will be… I had a really fun night, Shiro… I’ll see you next month.” He smiled when he said it, and Shiro did too,

 

“Goodnight Lance.” Shiro said, and he started to step away before he stopped and looked pointedly at Matt. “Call me when you’re sober, Matt.” He added, glancing up from Matt to Lance again before he walked off.

 

Lance pressed his lips together and looked down at Matt. _Or…_ Perhaps he was a little mad with Matt still.

 

___

 

Matt was heavy when he had to drag him over to his door, and he was thankful to God that he didn’t live on the second floor. He got his door open with an accidental bang when it opened and swung around, hitting the wall behind it and rattling the pictures on the wall near it. _Oops._ His neighbors surely heard that, but luckily it was only a quarter past eleven, so it wasn’t _that_ late…

 

“C’mon Matt, dude— Ugh- **_Can_ ** you stand for five seconds?” Lance asked, supporting Matt on one arm and reaching for the light switch with his other.

 

Matt groaned and stood up on his own, wobbling on his feet but he caught his hand on the wall before Lance caught him again. “S— S-Sorry…”

 

“I-It’s fine…” Lance stuttered, only because he was surprised by the apology. He wasn’t sure what it was for, but he didn’t want to ask. He walked inside and turned the lights on, making the place more welcoming. Matt squinted when he turned the light on, but he stepped in when he was prompted to, and Lance closed the door behind him.

 

“You can sleep on the couch, or we can share my bed, as long as you don’t make it weird in the morning, buddy…” Lance sighed and started taking his boots off. He regretted wearing these ridiculously high boots now, but he left them by the door when he finally got them off. He couldn’t wait to get out of his vest and coat— he was hot now after practically carrying Matt several feet to his door.

 

Matt tottered over to the couch and plopped down heavily. “…you sure?”

 

Lance shrugged. “It’s fine. I promised Pidge and Shiro I would take care of your dumb ass…” He chuckled.

 

Matt did too, watching Lance in a heavy haze through his lashes. “I have to… take off this… stupid bunny suit…”

 

Lance grinned over at Matt then, and did his best impression of a young and mildly creepy Jake Gyllenhaal. “ _Why are you wearing that_ **_stupid_ ** _bunny suit?_ ” he rasped.

 

Matt made a face at him. “Duuude, dooon’t be a creep...”

 

Lance snorted. “I’m just messing with you.” He said, and he made his way to his room, stripping out of his layered clothes. “Bathroom is through my room, by the way! Don’t throw up anywhere but the toilet or a trash bag if you have to! I will kill you if you ruin my rug, so keep that in mind!” Lance called out as he stripped and threw all of his clothes on the floor by his mirror. He heard Matt hum in response from the other room and then it was quiet for a good minute. He guessed Matt was staying out there. He leisurely put on one of his baggy t-shirts and spun around back to his door, shrieking when he bumped into Matt who was unexpectedly outside of the bedroom door. He was also stripped down to his bare basics, a pair of briefs and an undershirt. He should have been less terrified since the pink and white furry suit was gone, but he hadn’t heard Matt walk over to the door at all. “Dude?! Fuck you! You scared me sneaking up like that!” He yelled and shoved Matt, not too hard though, since he was sure Matt would have fallen over if the wind had just blown past him.

 

Matt winced and held his hands up. “S-Sorry, Lance!” he squeaked out pitifully, backing up into the wall. “Just… gotta pee before I lay down…”

 

Lance groaned quietly and stepped aside. “Sorry you just— I thought I would have heard you walking at least. I wasn’t expecting you to be by my door like that…”

 

“Scaredy cat…” Matt mumbled and brushed past Lance to the bathroom, flicking the light on. He didn’t close the door behind him.

 

Lance just sighed and walked over to his bed, climbing in and sitting cross legged in the middle of it. He waited to say anything until Matt came out again. “You can have the extra blanket that’s at the end of my bed, Matt… If you need another pillow feel free to borrow one of mine…”

 

“Thanks…” Matt said quietly. He walked over and grabbed the blanket before climbing in bed next to Lance.

 

Lance blinked at him dumbly, but didn’t say anything. He did offer Matt to sleep in the bed after all, but he wasn’t sure he was really expecting him to do that. Matt stayed on one side of the bed though, and faced the other way, with the spare blanket he was offered pulled up to his chin. He almost looked like a child.

 

Lance frowned to himself. _Poor Matt_. He moved carefully after Matt had gotten comfortable, and laid down on the opposite side of the bed from him. He was mentally kicking his own ass for this now, for how awkward this suddenly was that Matthew Holt, his best friend Pidge’s older brother was in his bed and drunk. He hoped it wouldn’t be a night they remembered for any weird reasons.

 

___

 

It took him much longer than it should have to fall asleep with Matt next to him, but now he was up before Matt too, at 9:14am. He crawled out of bed as quietly as he could without disturbing the sleeping Matt, and made his way to the bathroom to shower and clean himself up after the long night. He had a mild headache and he was thirsty, but it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would have been. The nausea was there, but after being under a warm stream of water it had started to clear up pretty quickly, and he was just happy to wash the grime from yesterday off. He felt like he should have done it last night, or at least washed his face like he religiously did any other night. Bringing home a drunken Matt threw him off his routine though, and he felt a little stupid about it at first. Sure, he and Matt were friends to some degree, but when did they become **_Friends_ **. He considered that the level of friendship he had with Hunk and Pidge, but never with Pidge’s older brother… Maybe not until now. He would have just liked to know exactly when it happened. He guessed around the same time he considered it with Shiro, even though he wasn’t even sure Shiro considered him one. He hoped so, as much as he pined after Shiro, he wanted to be friends at the very least…

 

He shut the water off and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his waist securely. He didn’t bring clean clothes into the bathroom with him but he could probably dress in his room if Matt was still asleep. That didn’t seem to the case though, as he heard Matt coughing from the bedroom, probably throwing up now. _Lovely…_ He hoped Matt reached the can in time at the very least and didn’t vomit in his bed. He stepped out of the shower and opened the door, peeking out cautiously. “Hey Matt… You okay or are you dying in my bed right now?”

 

Matt was sitting hunched over in the bed, thankfully with the garbage can in his lap as he threw up into it.

 

Gross…

 

Lance sighed. “Figured you’d have it a lot worse than me today… I’m gonna get dressed then I’ll get you something to drink okay? I can make you some peppermint tea. How does that sound, buddy?”

 

Matt just nodded his head, his shaggy hair falling over his clammy face. He hugged the can close to his body. “Thanks, Lance… I would like that.”

 

Lance went over to his dresser to grab some comfy clean clothes, a pair of pajama pants and another clean t-shirt. He got dressed back in the bathroom, and came back out drying his hair with his towel. He stood over at the edge of the bed and gently draped the towel over Matt’s shoulders, patting his shoulder before he left the room and went to his kitchen across the hall. He put a pot of water on the stove to boil, getting it ready for the tea. He peeked his head back into the room shortly after. “Are you up for eating or is that a no?”

 

Matt picked his head up to look up at him and nodded. “I can eat…”

 

“Eggs and toast or cereal?”

 

Matt just hummed and flopped over on his side, curling up in a ball.

 

“Eggs and toast it is,” Lance said before stepping out of the door way and back into his kitchen. He scrambled them both some eggs, and toasted some bread before buttering them and cutting them into disproportionate triangles on a plate. He had some grape jelly in the fridge too, so he brought that into the room when he finally brought the plates of food and tea with him. “Get up, it’s time to replenish.” He said as he plopped down in the bed next to Matt. He set Matt’s plate down next to him and his own plate in his lap. He had set the glasses of hot peppermint tea on his nightstand, where they would be safe until they were ready to be drank.

 

Matt sat up and reached for a glass first, taking ginger sips of it. He sighed quietly before he gave a small sincere smile to Lance. “Thank you, Lance… This means a lot to me…  I’m…sorry if I did or said anything stupid last night… I-I didn’t mean anything, I promise.” His voice got quieter and he looked down. “… How pissed was Shiro with me?”

 

Lance bit his lip and shrugged slightly. He took a bite of his toast before speaking. “Only a little bit. He wants you to call him soon. I hope he doesn’t fire you…”

 

Matt winced and frowned to himself, still keeping his eyes downward. “Yeah, I hope not either… I know I can be a lot to handle when I get drunk. That’s why Katie doesn’t like me when I drink. I just don’t know my limit…” Matt paused for a second, then asked. “I didn’t say anything to upset you or make it weird between us did I?…” He glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his brow creased with a kind of worry that Lance hadn’t seen on Matt before.

 

Lance forced himself to smile at Matt reassuringly and reached out to rub Matt’s back soothingly. “No don’t worry. You were only a jerk to Shiro last night, but not me. I don’t think you know your limit either, you just need someone to look out after you, buddy.”

 

“Y-yeah…” Matt sighed quietly and he finally relaxed a little. He leaned into Lance and rested his head against his shoulder tiredly. “Probably so, Lance…”

 

Lance hummed. “You should eat. Call Shiro and Katie after and let them know you’re okay. I’m sure they’ve been worried about you, you dumbass.”

 

“Has Katie texted you today to ask about me?” He asked, but he didn’t make a move to touch his food on his plate yet.

 

“I haven’t checked my phone.”

 

“I don’t know if she’ll want to hear from me, maybe you should just tell her I’m okay for me…” Matt said quietly.

 

“Aww come on, I’m sure that isn’t true. She’s your sister, she cares about you, she just thinks you’re a jackass when you’re drunk…” Lance teased and grinned lopsidedly, and Matt laughed.

 

“Did she say that?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Figures…”

 

Matt had finally moved his head from his shoulder and they finished eating their breakfast in bed together, and chatted for a while longer. Matt asked a few questions about what happened last night that he couldn’t remember, and Lance was honest with what he witnessed. Truly it wasn’t as bad as Matt probably believed. Yeah, he got loud and obnoxious, and maybe got in Shiro’s face last night, but beyond that, there wasn’t anything else to say. It was just Matt being a bit of a loud drunk douchebag, nothing so extreme. They set their plates on the nightstand after they were finished, and Matt had laid back again. He wasn’t going to be getting out of bed yet it seemed, and Lance just laid back with him, both of them watching the fan above them spin at it’s slow pace.

 

“Are you going to call them or should I?” Lance asked, turning his head to look over at Matt.

 

Matt turned to look back at him and he pressed his lips into a thin line. “I’ll just text Katie, but not right now…”

 

“And Shiro?”

 

Matt sighed. “Remind me what I did again? I have to debate about whether or not he’s just going to fire me over the phone over this…”

 

Lance turned over on his side towards Matt with his head propped up by his hand. “Just call him Matt, he asked you to. If you don’t it will probably just make what you did look worse to him.”

 

“I can say I don’t remember him asking me to call him? ‘Cause I don’t!”

 

Lance grabbed Matt’s cheek and pinched it pretty hard between his fingers, making Matt yelp. “Man up and call him already you wimp. You were a big dick last night and _defiantly_ drove some paying customers away! You’re lucky you didn’t get fired then.” Lance said, before cheekily adding,  “Besides, I totally want to hear his alluring voice right now.”

 

Matt made a face at his comment and groaned, swatting Lance’s hand away weakly. “I _knew_ it…”

 

“What? You thought I visited the bar every week for you?” Lance grinned.

 

Matt rolled his eyes before turning his head and sighing through his nose. “No don’t worry, I’m well informed when you’re there and when you’re not… Where’s my phone?”

 

Lance raised a brow at that. What was that supposed to mean, that he was ‘ _well informed_ ’? Either Matt asked Shiro about him, or Shiro talked about him with Matt. He wondered which one it was, but it was probably best not to ask or get excited over something as dumb as just Shiro talking about him with people. Was he really that noteworthy to talk about? To some people he knew he was, but he wasn’t sure if he was to _Shiro…_ He just cleared his throat lightly and left his questions to himself. “… It’s probably in your stupid bunny suit.”

 

Matt just agreed, “It is pretty stupid…” He pushed himself up and climbed out of Lance’s bed.

 

Lance watched him as he walked out of the bedroom to go get his phone, and coming back. Matt crawled back into the bed and grabbed a blanket to curl up with, his phone in his hand.

 

“Well I don’t have any angry text messages from him, or Katie…” Matt sighed in relief. “I really don’t want to call Shiro… What if he does fire me?”

 

“Then I’ll get you a job working with me at the cafe in at the art museum. It’s calm, and there’s no alcohol. Plenty of cute artsy girls to hit on too.”

 

“You say that like I have a problem…” Matt said, cutting a glance at him. “… I don’t drink at work any other time, last night Shiro said it was okay and I should have just watched how much I was drinking.”

 

Lance sighed quietly. “I can’t say anything else on that topic right now, Matty. Just call Shiro.” He scooted closer to Matt and watched him over his shoulder. Matt’s finger hovered over Shiro’s contact hesitantly before he finally clicked on it and called him.

 

“Hey! Put it on speaker!” Lance said as it rang. It rang three times before it was answered.

 

“Matt?” the voice on the other end of the line said. It was Shiro’s.

 

“Uhm… H-Hey Shiro… I just wanna start off with an apology for last night, okay?—”

 

Shiro sighed. “Apology is accepted if— Uh- Wait… Are you… still with Lance?” Shiro asked.

 

Lance wanted to speak up for that, but Matt did first. “Yes.” Matt said and he glanced at Lance from the corner of his eye, biting the inside of his lip. His brown eyes scanned Lance’s close face once, before he turned his face back to his phone’s screen.

 

Shiro paused for a moment longer than what seemed necessary on the other end. “… Oh, okay…” There was the sound of something shifting in the background before Shiro said something again before Matt could. “Tell Lance I said hey. Lets talk later, I have to go. See ya, Matt.”

 

Lance frowned over Matt’s shoulder when the call ended, and Matt took a deep breath before letting it back out.

 

“Well that was a little odd. What _did_ you say to him last night, anyway?” Lance asked, leaning back away from Matt now to look at him fully.

 

Matt shook his head. “I told you I don’t remember, that’s why I asked you…” Matt said, averting his eyes.

 

Lance glared at his head. It felt like Matt _did_ remember that, but that was between him and Shiro now, and he should leave it alone… He shoved Matt’s shoulder in a light and playful manner. “Now get out of my bed and go shower, you reek!”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. 
> 
> *I edited the dates, but everything is still kind of inconsistent? I really don't wanna edit this AGAIN lmao so it's just gonna be whatever

**Author's Note:**

> Haha, did you make it this far?
> 
>  
> 
> * If you read the previous version, you probably noticed I chopped a huge scene at the end, but to make up for it there was more added to the beginning and middle so??? Forgive me for leaving the Sheith proposal out! :( After reworking everything it just didn't fit at all, and probably won't be happening after the events in the fourth chapter... aka, no Sheith marriage today lmao.


End file.
